For those who enjoy a spot of Twitter hurly-burly on a Sunday morning, here's Andrew Neil taking on critics of The Andrew Marr Show's decision to interview Arron Banks today:
Caroline Lucas: Appalling misjudgement to give platform to Arron Banks on BBC tomorrow. Please do make your own complaint.Andrew Neil: Thank god the future of the free press is not in your hands - or there would be no free press. You should be ashamed of yourself.Terry: Bollocks, Banks is under criminal investigation, the BBC should not be giving him air time.Andrew Neil: Bollocks to you. Unless the person has been charged and so the matter is sub judice, the BBC can interview whoever it likes. It's called freedom of the press.Ian Pollock: Being charged is not the only criteria, numpty.Andrew Neil: In terms of the law, it is, numpty squared.Alex Cornes: Right with you Andrew Neil on the value and importance of free speech, so how about giving Jeremy Corbyn some airtime and a chance to respond to the comments often aimed at him from BBC political shows?Andrew Neil: He has an open invitation to come on to my shows any day, any time. For as long as he wants. Perhaps you could put a word in for me. But I don't hold my breath.The Saboteur #FBPE: Andrew Marr is hardly the Spanish Inquisition. This will be a far-right platform to fit a "narrative" dreamed up by news editors, with some soft balls tossed in return for some soundbites. Why not step in yourself? I would trust a Paxman or Neil grilling over a Marr love-in.Andrew Neil: I don't really get the chance to interview anybody of great substance/importance these days. Probably my own fault. I'm sure my namesake will do a sterling job. The idea Mr Marr provides a "far right platform" is beyond parody.Simon Wain: Yes but as the BBC does not have access to all the material which underpins the (potential) case against Mr Banks, how can there be a proper interview? The whole exercise is pointless grandstanding for both parties.Andrew Neil: Drivel squared. Do shut up.
“The idea Mr Marr provides a "far right platform" is beyond parody”
ReplyDelete#montoyamoment
What happens when Neil goes - there will be nobody with even a remotely right leaning common sense position at the BBC.
ReplyDeleteThe most revealing comment there is Andrew Neil's 'I don't really get the chance to interview anybody of great substance/importance these days. Probably my own fault.'
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't he? Instead he is stuck in the backroom around midnight fooling around with Portillo and some Lib Dem former something or other Miranda and Kevin Maguire or Quentin Letts cavorting in sketches followed by a singer or youth or whatever. What is the purpose of that programme?
His own fault might be that he can't be bothered to turn up more than once or twice a week and he likes a couple of months' holiday in the summer. I thought only the Queen could get those terms. Perhaps he's uniquely privileged at the BBC.
Replying to @jennyeclair
So this is the thing Jenny. The thing is it's a Re brand to clarify the offer to the end user focusing on the product rather than the platform
So far the highlight for me has been Andrew Marr seeing askward facts coming and trying to claim ‘it is all too difficult to deal with right now’.
ReplyDelete