THE BBC has been accused of “editorial narrowmindness” as the broadcaster defended its decision to include no SNP politicians in a special broadcast on the Supreme Court ruling.
Politics In Crisis: BBC News Special, hosted by Andrew Neil, focused on the fall-out of the court’s finding that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s prorogation was unlawful.
Aired from 7pm-7.30pm, the guests were Labour shadow cabinet minister and MP Dan Carden, Brexit Party MEP Belinda De Lucy and LibDem MP Chuka Umunna.
Despite the successful case against Johnson being spearheaded by SNP MP Joanna Cherry QC, her party had no representative on the show, with the BBC turning down an appearance by Ian Blackford.
The Tories had been offered a guest slot but refused.
Defending its decision to exclude the SNP, the BBC told The National: “There is not time to fit all the relevant parties in one half hour programme so have to make editorial choices on a programme by programme basis.
“Joanna Cherry and other senior SNP guests featured elsewhere in BBC output on Tuesday, including on Politics Live and we will continue to book them on a variety of BBC outlets as the story unfolds.”
Producers had requested Nicola Sturgeon as a guest. However, as the First Minister of Scotland was unable to appear, the party offered SNP Westminster leader Blackford as an alternative. The BBC rejected this.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown slammed the BBC over its decision.
He said: “When the BBC refused our offer of Ian Blackford MP for this programme we were surprised and disappointed.
“Ian is the leader of the third biggest group at Westminster. And today of all days, when SNP MPs have been so central to the UK-wide story, it just seems ridiculous to omit us.
“When you consider the other guests on the BBC One Special – who are somehow seen as more appropriate than the Westminster leader of the SNP – it reflects very badly on their priorities and reveals an editorial narrowmindedness of the BBC bosses in London.”
Interviewed by Neil on the show, LibDem MP Umunna said his party were “the biggest and strongest Remain party”.
This went unchallenged, despite the LibDems having just 18 MPs to the SNP’s 35, and a lower membership total.
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