We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
LAST UPDATE | 27 May 2020
THE BBC HAS said that an introduction to Newsnight, which discussed the Dominic Cummings lockdown row, “did not meet our standards of due impartiality”.
Presenter Emily Maitlis opened last night’s show by saying the Prime Minister’s chief adviser had “broken the rules” and “the country can see that, and it’s shocked the government cannot”.
The BBC said in a statement today that staff had been “reminded of the guidelines” around impartiality following the broadcast.
Maitlis has been replaced by Katie Razzall as host of tonight’s episode, the Guardian is reporting.
Razzall has tweeted that the BBC did not ask Maitlis to “take tonight off” but the latter ended last night’s show by saying she would be back on air tonight.
Katie Razzall / TwitterJust for the record, Emily @maitlis has not been asked by the BBC to take tonight off - and if I thought she had been, I certainly wouldn’t have agreed to present the show @BBCNewsnight
— Katie Razzall (@katierazz) May 27, 2020
In last night’s monologue, Maitlis told viewers: “Dominic Cummings broke the rules – the country can see that and it’s shocked the government cannot.
“The longer ministers and the prime minister insist he worked within them, the more likely the angry response to the scandal is likely to be … He made those who struggled to keep to the rules feel like fools, and has allowed many more to assume they can flout them.”
Cummings drove from London to Durham (about 430km) to isolate with his family during the lockdown and says he subsequently took a trip to Barnard Castle to see if he was fit enough to drive before returning to the capital.
David Lammy / Twitter
David Lammy / Twitter / Twitter
The BBC statement added: “We’ve reviewed the entirety of last night’s Newsnight, including the opening section, and while we believe the programme contained fair, reasonable and rigorous journalism, we feel that we should have done more to make clear the introduction was a summary of the questions we would examine, with all the accompanying evidence, in the rest of the programme.
“As it was, we believe the introduction we broadcast did not meet our standards of due impartiality.”
BBC News Press Team / TwitterBBC statement on last night's Newsnight pic.twitter.com/JFm4Nt5YMv
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) May 27, 2020
Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan branded the BBC statement “utterly disgraceful”, adding that the BBC is “chucking one of its best journalists under the bus for telling the truth”.
His words were echoed by journalist and former Newsnight economics editor Paul Mason, who said that the decision made him “sick”.
He tweeted: “Every word Maitlis said was true: truth is the criterion of real journalism.”
Conservative MP Julian Knight, who chairs the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said that the broadcaster had responded rapidly to the incident.
He tweeted: “For the BBC to come out, in such terms, so quickly is really something, no circling of the wagons – issuing what is effectively a written warning.”
The programme’s introduction was criticised by Chris Green, the Conservative MP for Bolton West, who said on Twitter that it “had a clear bias and had nothing to do with the BBC’s mission to inform and educate”.
He added: “We do not need Newsnight to behave as poor quality entertainment.”
Johnson standing by him
Earlier, Johnson indicated he is standing by Cummings despite mounting Tory anger and plummeting poll ratings.
The British Prime Minister rejected a call for Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to investigate Cummings’ actions at the height of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Johnson, who was questioned by the Commons Liaison Committee today, said: “Quite frankly I’m not certain – right now – that an inquiry into that matter is a very good use of official time.
“We are working flat out on coronavirus.”
Asked whether the government’s “moral authority” had been undermined by Cummings’ actions and his own defence of them, Johnson said: “I, of course, am deeply sorry for all the hurt and pain and anxiety that people have been going through throughout this period – this country has been going through a frankly most difficult time.
“We are asking people to do quite exceptionally tough things, separating them from their families.”
Testing
Johnson said he would not be adding to his previous comments on Cummings and said the public wanted politicians to focus on “uniting our message” and “focusing on their needs”.
Johnson used his appearance at the committee – made up of the chairmen and women of Commons select committees – to announce that NHS England’s test and trace system would be up and running from tomorrow.
The scheme will see people who have been in contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.
Meanwhile the toll of deaths linked to the virus in the UK has risen to almost 48,000.
With reporting by Órla Ryan
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Jokes aside he must know something about Boris that Boris is terrified for us to know
@Daniel Bohan: Everything you need to know is right here: https://youtu.be/GNaWPV5l4j4
The man has his finger on the button and that’s why he is in his job.
@milton friedman: He’s certainly tapped into a huge portion of the population in the UK, in tune with how they think and feel. It makes his judgement of the aftermath of this all the more bizzare. Whatever about the actual trip, his non apology afterwards was a spectacular own goal and it’s clearly not gone down well with the general public, including many people that he was in tune with.
@Cian Nolan: It’ll be quickly forgotten.
@Sylvia O’Regan: If he’d apologised I think he’d have gotten away with it but I think too many Conservative MP’s and voters are angry for this to just to blow over. Big opportunity for Starmer at the next PMQ’s.
@Daniel Bohan: lots are saying he does have something on him.
@Marcus Suridius: less of having something on him, more like Johnson knows he is absolutely clueless without him, and would be easily played out of power.
@Brynþór Patrekursson: He used to work for murdocks pet, farrage, of course he has dirt on bojo. Totally agree on clueless.
@Daniel Bohan: bonga bonga parties with trump wee gate
@milton friedman: woke up early today and watched the full video….WOW!
@Denis Reidy: Really? Tell us when he worked for ‘murdocks’ pet ‘farrage’? Do some research for God’s sake instead.
He must have some seriously compromising information on Boris. probably him and trump in a Russian hotel getting weed on
@Daniel Bohan: wowzers. Thanks for that mental image!
@Daniel Bohan: That would account for their pi55 coloured hair.
@Alan Biddulph: nah the last PM screwed a dead pigs head. This would be nothing.
@Daniel Bohan: no Kompromat in this story! Cummings masterminded Brexit by sloganeering and in your face campaigning around the clock… maniacal stuff really. He not only knows which way the wind blows, he knows what is made of!!!!
Boris putting ambition before the people that are under his care. Clearly Dominic Cummings, a mere advisor, is more important than any/every party colleague and the public.
I watched him briefly *trying* to answer questions relevant to the plans going forward with the pandemic – blustering, totally out of his depth.
I can’t imagine many having confidence in him.
@Skybloo: it’s not surprising, Boris couldn’t give a fiddler’s about anyone bar himself.
Whether he was right or wrong it’s nothing other than a media witchhunt, they thrive on drama and bad news and move on to the next misfortunate after the previous one has been dispatched.
@Charles Coughlan:
Yes, the media in UK do like a witch hunt.
But I think this is rightly upsetting people. Many did not hold the hands of their loved ones as they died because of the guidelines. People died alone. Many didn’t attend funerals of loved ones. Many children and adults didn’t receive medical treatment for chronic diseases and illness including some cancer treatments due to the guidelines. Many suffered with COVID 19 while trying to care for young children. And then an chief advisor who is instructing people what they must do, implies by his excuses and BS that they were stupid to do so. That they made the wrong interpretation of the regulations. People don’t want to live with regret or feeling like they got things wrong to the detriment of themselves or loved ones.
@Charles Coughlan:
It isn’t though is it, very simple to understand the issue but obviously is too difficult for you.
Trump like nonsense of media bias is of course silly and ridiculous.
@Skybloo: very well expressed .. it’s the actions not the words that are important and Cummins failed
37,000 people dead and 22 billion cost to UK Exchequer. Not to mention, the country is about to embark on a new economic and political life.
The media as usual are focusing on the wrong thing.
Many Labour MPs have broken the guidelines. They simply just don’t like Cummings.
@milton friedman: They don’t like unelected bureaucrats in the UK. Cummings is the epitome of that – the tail that wags the dog. Combine that with his unbelievable levels of arrogance and it’s not hard to see why he is so hated across the UK and his position is untenable.
Plenty of other figures in the UK have breached rules, true. But they’ve all apologised and many have resigned/been sacked.
This will go on until it dies down or there is a material threat to Boris’ leadership of the Tory party.
@milton friedman: Yup, when Neil Kinnocks son travelled to visit him on his birthday the Guardian went with the line that the police were more or less harassing him over something so small. But when it’s anything to do with Johnson or the Tories they flip their lids. Lost all respect for that rag when they allowed an opinion piece on Johnson which insinuated that his illness was a ‘set up’ to get public sympathy. Also with Johnson, they were up to their necks with that story about Johnson’s row with his partner, the one where the neighbours was so scared and worried for Ms Simmons safety that in their panic they accidentally rang the Guardian first instead of the police. Funnily enough, they dropped the story with no apology to Johnson when it transpired that the neighbours were pro-remain activists and one had bragged on twitter 2 days before the ‘row’ that she had bravely given Johnson the finger as he passed her near their homes. This whole Cummings thing is nothing but simmering Brexit bitterness coming to the surface again. Childish, bitter buIIshit.
@Tommy Roche: one must the apparant rantings of the press from the facts. ..the facts speak for themselves…the PM allows and even encourages his advisor to make his own rules for his own conduct….simply FACT
@Tommy Roche:
I’d usually say that your childish, bitter rant would be better placed on the Daily Mail rag, but even they agree on how damaging Cumming’s actions are.
In fact, many staunch Brexiteer MPs are looking for Cummings to resign – one Brexit MP resigned over this. So your arguement re simmering Brexit bitterness doesn’t wash.
Also, with regard you and your other paid troll friend above stating how Labour MPs didn’t abide by regulations therefore what is the fuss about Cummings? – do you not see how this lacks any intelligence?? It should go without explaining – it doesn’t matter whether you are Labour, Tory, Lib Dems, SNP, Brexiteer, Remainer – the person should be held to account, especially if you have been awarded the honour and privilege of guiding the public.
@milton friedman: You really have an agenda, don’t you Milton? Every single Cummings article…really?
@milton friedman:
Labour MPs aren’t making rules for the public to follow, Johnson and Cummings are. Except they think they don’t have to follow the rules they are setting.
Simple to understand really, surprised you don’t seem to understand it.
@milton friedman: name the Labour MPs.
@Tommy Roche: Add the pathetic Robert Peston and the insufferable Beth Rigby to The Guardian and Mirror too.
@Tommy Roche: nail on head. Compare the demonising of Cummings who the Remainer elites despise with the media scrutiny given to Stephen Kinnock, Ian Blackford, Tahir Ali, Vaughan Gething etc.
@Skybloo: someone who doesn’t share your views is a ‘paid troll’ ? And what’s with the tiresome generic bland ‘Daily Mail’ comment? Have you researched that particular organ’s recent editorial shift on Brexit? Were you aware of its Sunday counterpart’s pro Remain stance? The fundamental question here is whether a BBC correspondent is entitled to air personal viewpoints or whether the organisation is politically impartial.
Richard Nixon said once it’s not the act that gets you… it’s the cover up that will get you, Albert Reynolds once said … it’s the small things that will get you…. me thinks Boris will find out same
Hilarious to think that the BBC actually believe they have a respectable level of impartiality, any debates are not about finding solutions and agreement, they are merely designed to produce as much drama as possible under a majority left wing panel.
@Alan Currie: You must be having a laugh. BBC with majority left leaning panels? Not for Brexit. In fact anti-remain groups received a disproportionate amount of air time on current affairs programmes like Question Time.
@John R: how so?
Did he or his wife have the virus probably not
@Tony Mcgrath: how is that relevant? He clearly broke the rules.
@Connoroconner: which rule did he specifically break given that the health and safety of his child was at risk and latitude was allowed for the wellbeing of his child? His mistake was to visit another town on the pretext that he was testing his eyesight on the advice of his wife.
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: He didn’t break the rules, he broken the law. How was driving 260 miles in a car witb his child when he was possibly illfor the well being of his child? In his position, he would be able to employ the services of the Govt to have his child taken care of. He did not have latitude to undertake that long distance drive. And you don’t drive 30 miles on your wifes birthday (& bring your child) to test your eyes tosee if you are fit to drive.
Stop falling for their spin. If Joe Soap had given that reason, they would have been turned back and received a fine. One if the Scientists had to resign when he travelled for some nookie (arguably just as essential for his wellbeing).
If he had just taken his medicine and walked, he could be back in in a couple months.
The blokes not even an MP. 4 labour MP’s broke the lockdown. Funny no mention of that on liberal news sites.
@Crispy Brown: Out of curiosity, how many of the 4 Labour MPs you mentioned are direct advisers to the British PM?
@Crispy Brown:
That’s a childish argument. It doesn’t make the situation any better whether Labour, Tory, Lib Dems etc … each one must be held to account. People died alone because of the regulations, didn’t receive treatment for other illnesses because of restrictions and regulations. Now they are being told that they, and other professionals, could have made all sorts of interpretations and changed the outcomes of their experiences. Cummings is the person drafting the instructions for the public in the UK during this pandemic, claiming to be in touch with the public. Instead, he has never been more out of touch.
I wonder if there will be less compliance by the public now.
@Crispy Brown:
Laughable the excuses people come up with for Cummings!!
@Metassus: that is a piss poor argument
@Crispy Brown: wordbrain?
Funny, I don’t remember Kaura Kuenssberg being replaced for breaking impartiality rules in the run up to the British general election. Must be a different set of rules for the Tories.
@Johnny 5: Absolutely. I’ve never seen a more biased reporter.
She stated facts. How is that a breach of impartiality?
It’s not what Dom knows about Boris that’s keeping him in his job. It’s what Boris knows about himself.
@Brian Farrell: Great comment!
What dirt does he have on the those in charge?
Is he anything to Summer Cummings
@Colm: NO
Glaxosmithkline have a factory. Pretty big coincidence
If only he put half as much effort in protecting nhs staff.
She is a TV news presenter not a columnist or opinion writer. It’s her job to report the news in an impartial manner and not to express her own point of view. What if Sharon Ni Bheolain opened Mondays Six-One News with the comment, “I think Leo is a right bloody hypocrite for going to the park for that picnic and not practicing proper social distancing”. That would be something akin to what Maitlis did. The fact that so many agree with her point of view is completely irrelevant.
If Dominic Cummings is a civil servant and not a politician, can it not be argued that political impartiality does not come into thw equation
There you go tell the truth and the B. B. C. don’t like it, so you get punished.
One set of rules for the haves and another one for the have nots….the fact that the BBC journalist reported this is a clear indication as to how the general public feel about their government… useless bunch of toffee pudding nosed incompetents.
@Richard Reynolds: Excellent article. Carole Cadwalladr is that rarest of breeds these days, an impeccable investigative journalist.
BBC ought to be ashamed. BBC can now be compared to FOX News, cowering before Boris like FOX cowers before Trumpton… An utter DISGRACE.
@Daniel Bohan. I must admit for about 2 or 3 seconds I thought you meant Bojo and Trump getting stoned but then I realized you meant getting hosed.
Well comrade Dom despite his Rasputin like role and being witch doctor of mass data propaganda….didn’t really convince anyone with his schoolboy smirky face.Thats the main problem..hes an incompetent Svengali..He seems to pedal theories that Russia and China attempt/attempted to use..the primary use of science in government,data manipulation,mathematicians,economic theorists..look at those countries to see how well that ll work out.He is dripping with Russian business connections..surprised he’s anywhere near government.
Censorship
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say