A missing detail

I'm seeing lots of underwhelmed, sceptical, even derisive comments on my social media feels about Priti Patel's deal with her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin to double the number of officers patrolling French beaches and to increase drone and radar surveillance in a declared attempt to stop illegal immigrants crossing the Channel. 

The BBC's report on the story is, of course, critical of Priti Patel too, but - being the BBC- their criticism comes from the opposite direction. 

Their online report quotes only one other person, a critic of Ms Patel: Bella Sankey, director of the pro-migrant charity Detention Action. 

Being sceptical of the BBC's bona fides, I looked her up. She was the Labour Party candidate in Arundel and South Downs in the 2019 general election. 

The BBC didn't mention that of course.

It's a very old story as far as BBC reporting goes. Not as old as Beowulf, but not far off.