POLL: BBC backtracks over Question Time row – Fiona Bruce DID make unwise comments about Diane Abbott
Fiona Bruce: The Mirror used this image on its article about her verbal indiscretion.
Well, how about that! It turns out the BBC was lying when it said Diane Abbott was not treated unfairly during the warm-up for the show in which she appeared nearly two weeks ago.
The Mirror is reporting that Fiona Bruce made “light-hearted personal comments” and “what she believed were good-humoured remarks” before recording of the show began.
Apparently the admission was made in a private email between the show’s editors and the Shadow Home Secretary.
This Writer had heard elsewhere that the remarks concerned Ms Abbott’s relationship with Jeremy Corbyn, with a suggestion that she is in her current position because of that relationship.
I don’t know about you, but I would say a suggestion that Ms Abbott only became Shadow Home Secretary because of a relationship she had in the 1970s certainly qualifies as an example of her being “treated unfairly”.
The implication is that she didn’t earn her job by merit and doesn’t deserve to have it – and Fiona Bruce had no right to make such a suggestion.
Ms Bruce has hosted just three editions of Question Time, after taking over from David Dimbleby. It seems clear that she is not capable of doing the job properly, considering the amount of political bias evidenced by her remarks.
But Question Time is in trouble for other elements of its production that day. Is it true that another member of the team also made prejudicial remarks about Ms Abbott to the audience? The BBC will have to release recordings of what was said before we know for sure.
And what about the claim that Ms Abbott’s microphone was turned down during the recording of the show itself, so she had to work harder to make herself heard?
The BBC has admitted that it lied about Ms Abbott’s treatment – but the extent of that lie has yet to be established. As for Ms Bruce – let’s have a poll:
[polldaddy poll=10224661]I look forward to your responses.
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When they are caught out making sneering disparaging insults right-wing reactionaries invariably fall back on the “light-hearted” or “bantering” excuse. They are so predictable. The remarks are admitted to be “unwise” so the presenter should be sacked – simple as that.
I am disgusted that Ms Bruce has not been dismissed, certainly from her position with ‘Question Time’ At best she has demonstrated poor judgement, poor taste and a lack of capability in performing the important role of Chairperson. There is also the question of an unattractive willingness to cause an unsuspecting member of a panel dismay and discomfort. That the BBC, a once respected world-wide leader in Broadcasting, should have endeavoured to cover up, deny, and fail to apologise for such a disgraceful display of what amounted to bullying and ridicule, is beyond belief and I am disgusted. Were I not already licence-free due to my age, I would certainly have given up watching, totally, before now and would cease financially subscribing to the BBC, for good. I have waited to see if an apology would be offered or some retribution made. I was already disenchanted with the BBC due to its appalling treatment of and bias againstJeremy Corbyn, twice democratically chosen Leader of the Labour Party. The lies, ridicule, and imbalance of information toward Mr Corbyn and, now, this shocking demonstration of ill manners and unfairness towards an invited panel member has made the decision easy for me. I shall no longer watch BBC programmes, News, Drama, debate, political coverage, etc. I am normally discerning in whom I place my trust for political information, and no longer have the required faith in the BBC.
Fancy that!