Liam Fox BBC Attack FLOPS

Today, the Sunday excuse for the Super Soaraway Currant Bun claims an “exclusive” for an article under the by-line of the paper’s singularly repellent “political editor” David Wooding, who claims to be from Merseyside but doesn’t seem to go there very often. This claims “FOX GLOVES ARE OFF MP Liam Fox demands showdown talks with BBC chief over ‘biased’ Brexit coverage”. And there is more.

Should have been Goodnight From Them long ago

“LIAM Fox has demanded a showdown with BBC chiefs over its ‘biased’ Brexit coverage … The International Trade Secretary fired off a letter of complaint to Director General Lord Hall … In it Dr Fox claims reporters have persistently buried good news about the economy since the leave vote … He accused the BBC of ditching positive Brexit stories for doom-laden interviews with pro-EU commentators”.

That might be because the BBC reports not merely what the disgraced former Defence Secretary would like to see reported, but a full spectrum of Brexit news, most of which is indeed negative. Lord Hall-Hall is not going to stay in post long if he converts the Corporation into some kind of Tory cheerleading operation. But do go on.

“In his letter, which has been seen by The Sun on Sunday, he claims there is a ‘clear pattern of unbalanced reporting of the EU economy’ and the work of his department … He cites cases where he says the BBC has ‘wilfully’ ignored upbeat announcements or economic stats, undermining his efforts to strike trade deals”. So Fox admits he wants the Beeb to propagandise for him. That isn’t going to happen.

Still, on he shambles: “Other MPs have accused the BBC of becoming a cheerleader for the EU and Remainers”. And yet more of those “Other MPs” have accused the BBC of becoming a cheerleader for the Leave camp, such as The Andy Marr Show (tm) giving an interview this morning to, er, the very same Liam Fox.

So Fox - who isn’t striking trade deals in any case - thinks the Beeb is agin him. But that is not “exclusive” news, and, indeed, it is not news at all, as this was reported a fortnight ago by the Mail, which told readers “Liam Fox slams BBC for anti-Brexit coverage: Minister asks why good economic news includes the phrase 'despite Brexit' and suggests corporation wants to see Britain fail”. Exactly the same line.

And it was the same in the rest of the Dacre doggies’ coverage: “Dr Fox’s intervention underlines the growing frustration within Eurosceptic ranks at the BBC’s coverage of Brexit in the wake of last year’s referendum. Many were content with the BBC’s conduct during the referendum campaign, when it was subject to strict guidelines requiring it to give equal weight to both sides … But they believe the broadcaster is now failing in its duty to be impartial by running negative stories about Brexit”.

The Sun on Sunday is now reduced to cheerleading for a Minister who is not fit to be let anywhere near the cabinet, on a subject which is already a fortnight old, but because Liam Fox has now written a letter about it, claims an “exclusive”. No-one with brain engaged and a hole in their jacksy is going to take lectures from Britain’s least trusted newspaper on bias, least of all the BBC. And Fox didn’t even mention it in his Marr Show appearance.

The Sun becomes more out of touch and desperate by the day. No change there, then.