The BBC's bias against Trump is the opening salvo. The dogfight begins when Reform enters No10
By Colin Brazier
The BBC will use every possible tactic to block the progress of Reform, writes broadcasting veteran Colin Brazier. Many people who regard themselves as balanced think it extreme to suggest ending the BBC’s licence fee. They admit the Corporation makes mistakes, yet they still claim that only a publicly funded broadcaster can provide certain cultural landmarks—The Last Night of the Proms, Test Match Special, natural history documentaries, or even Teletubbies.
However, even loyal supporters are discovering that their list of national treasures is shrinking. After incidents like Lineker’s tweets, the BBC’s programming feels more like a perpetual sociology seminar than genuine entertainment. Only the BBC, critics argue, would cast an actress resembling Shamima Begum as a figure from medieval English history—specifically, Cardinal Wolsey’s daughter.
What once set the BBC apart as a gold standard for creativity and competition has been reduced to one-sided political messaging. The network’s jewel, its news division, has also faded. Once praised for balanced and global reporting, BBC News now seems far from impartial.
“BBC News, we were told, was a world leader in impartial, unbiased reportage and analysis. The very antidote to ‘fake news’, with its own (comically pompous) fact-checking service, ‘BBC Verify’. How hollow those boasts now sound.”
Author’s Summary
The BBC’s reputation for neutrality and excellence has declined, with critics seeing it as partisan and out of touch, especially as political change looms with Reform’s rise.