Views his own, beyond the BBC door

It's fascinating that Andrew Marr continues to write occasional diary pieces for the Spectator.

Some can be charming, but his latest is too self-justifying. 

And I'm guessing that he either never reads the online comments or doesn't care about that kind of criticism, for - so far - it's 20-0 against him below his latest piece there - The true enemy of political interviews.

Here's what in old school exam papers they'd call a 'precis' of his piece:

My conference interviews with 'Sir Keir' and 'Johnson'/'Mr Johnson' were rightly tough. My team and I worked hard on them. Both leaders' aides felt aggrieved, so - therefore - we got it about right. As as for Nadine Dorries saying she doesn't think I'm impartial, well, we at the BBC 'do our level best' to leave our views at the door, but we've all got opinions and they make us better interviewers. Plus BBC-bashing is 'the safest sport in the country fairground' and the BBC is too timid in responding to it. Meanwhile I've been watching Jeremy Clarkson and, by being a 'big, pink, fallible wazzock' and not minding been seen as such, he's 'a lesson in self-importance to the rest of us'.

Some comments even outdid the 'big, pink' bit there in describing Andrew's own appearance [without bringing in the 'skin colour' question], but this selection sums up the main response so far:

• Evidence if it was needed that BBC people are simply not like us normal people. The breathtaking lack of self awareness is extraordinary.
• "Jeremy Clarkson is....a lesson against self-importance for the rest of us." A lesson you have no intention of learning.
• "Cognitive dissonance: inconsistency between what people believe and how they behave motivates people to engage in actions that help minimize feelings of discomfort", which explains why this article is so dishonest.
• The true enemy of any interview is Andrew Marr, the Joe Biden of the prepared script and the search for the "Gotcha" moment.

Long may social media, whatever its faults, continue to allow people to share their dissenting views about the mainstream media - and everything else besides!