Brexit showed that BBC is full of ‘metropolitan bias’ and is ‘detached’ from many viewers, Boris Johnson says
- Boris Johnson said Brexit had shown BBC was ‘pretty detached’ from viewers
- Accused the BBC of ‘metropolitan bias’ and hoped it would move ‘more into line’
- Comes after Charlie Stayt & Naga Munchetty slammed for mocking Union Jack
Boris Johnson last night accused the BBC of ‘metropolitan bias’.
Speaking to Tory MPs, the Prime Minister said the Brexit process had shown that the Corporation was ‘pretty detached’ from many of its viewers.
He said he hoped the BBC would move ‘more into line’. Mr Johnson made his comments at a meeting of the 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers.
Boris Johnson (pictured) said the Brexit process had shown that the BBC was ‘pretty detached’ from many of its viewers
The BBC insisted last week that it was ‘proud to be British’ after a furious backlash at news presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty mocking the Union Jack.
Asked about the row, the PM said: ‘We need to recognise on the whole that there is a great deal of instinctual metropolitan bias in the BBC newsroom.
‘It’s pretty clear from the whole Brexit experience that the BBC was pretty detached from a lot of its viewers and listeners and I hope they move more into line.’
Mr Stayt, 58, had mockingly told Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick: ‘I think your flag is not up to standard size Government-interview measurements. I think it’s just a little bit small.’
A laughing Miss Munchetty was then heard to comment: ‘They had the picture of the Queen there as well, though’.
The BBC insisted last week that it was ‘proud to be British’ after a furious backlash at news presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty mocking the Union Jack
The presenters were interviewing communities secretary Robert Jenrick when the incident took place
The controversy continued later when Miss Munchetty, 46, ‘liked’ insulting tweets about the British flag including a reference to ‘flag sh*****s’ being ‘up in arms’.
She later removed the ‘likes’ and wrote: ‘These do not represent the views of me or the BBC. I apologise for any offence taken.’
This week the BBC said it will move more of its staff and shows out of London amid concerns it is out of touch with much of the country.
Since becoming director-general last year Tim Davie has launched a crackdown on the way news stars behave on social media, as part of his moves to tackle impartiality issues at the broadcaster.
MPs had written to Mr Davie saying they had been ‘inundated with complaints’ from constituents following the flag row.
They called for Mr Stayt and Miss Munchetty to be ‘reprimanded’ and to ‘apologise for their conduct’.
They added that the attitudes on the programme were inappropriate and disrespectful.
In response Mr Davie repeated that the BBC was ‘proud of the UK’ and that it took their complaints seriously.