BBC Brexit Misinformation Shame

The suspicion that the BBC has shifted its editorial perspective to the right has been reinforced this week, after the broadcaster’s website began to portray US President Joe Biden in a severely negative light following the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan, and increasingly selective coverage of the consequences of Brexit.

Sadly for the Biden attacks, the appearance of Combover Crybaby Donald Trump yesterday evening with professional loudmouth Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel (fair and balanced my arse) put the lid on them. The Taliban did not negotiate, then they were great negotiators, then they had been fighting for a thousand years. The rambling fool who actually sold out Afghanistan showed what a mess he left for his successor.

And then came the Brexit misinformation, this from BBC Newsround. “Have you noticed lots of empty-looking shelves in supermarkets recently? There's a good reason for it, and it isn't because we've run out of food! It's because an increasing number of staff working at these shops are having to self-isolate after being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid app”.

Really? Do go on. “The number of people being asked to isolate by the app has increased a lot in recent weeks as restrictions asking people to stay at home have ended. Shops are one of the places people can most easily see the effect of staff having to stay at home rather than work, but the 'pingdemic' problem is affecting lots of businesses. Supermarket chain Iceland says it's recruiting 2,000 temporary staff to cover absences. It's also had to reduce its opening hours and temporarily shut two of its stores”. And there is more.

“HGV drivers, who transport lots of the items customers buy in supermarkets, and manufacturers who make some of the food items shoppers purchase have also been affected”. And, as Fred Flintstone might have put it, hold it … HOLD IT! HGV drivers are most unlikely to be self-isolating. They are more likely to be not there at all.

Moreover, the empty shelves are down to there having been no stock delivered to fill them. Or, as one Tweeter put it, “All of Europe has coronavirus, but only British supermarkets have empty shelves. What can the real difference be?” What indeed.

That this was not an isolated occurrence was underscored by the Beeb’s reporting on more of those shortages: "Nando's says it will lend some of its staff to its suppliers to help ‘get things moving’ in the supply chain after shortages hit some of its shops. The restaurant group has had to shut around 50 outlets temporarily after apparently running short of its staple fare: peri peri chicken”. And what, pray, is the reason for this?

“Food and other supply chains across the UK have struggled to operate normally this summer, due to what has been dubbed the ‘pingdemic’ - staff being required to self-isolate if they have come into contact with someone with coronavirus”. Really? Then explain this, from the same article: “Nando's said the shortages were not affecting any of their outlets in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland”. But they have Covid in Northern Ireland too.

So what is the real reason for the shortages at Nando’s (and also KFC)? It’s a direct consequence of Brexit. So why can’t the BBC admit the bleeding obvious and tell us?

The BBC is supposed to report the news. And that means all of it. Including Brexit.

Enjoy your visit to Zelo Street? You can help this truly independent blog carry on talking truth to power, while retaining its sense of humour, by adding to its Just Giving page at

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/zelostreet9