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@JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject Hey Jolyon, good round-up though I could point to even more failings. First, BBC dropped a Panorama into @shahmiruk’s evidence. Statement from bbc head of news said they didn’t have ‘full access’ to evidence...but they had exactly what we & C4 had. Then, on weekend of publication
@JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject @shahmiruk ..bbc news was briefed ahead on story, invited to view docs etc to be up to speed. But they never did the story. Not on the Sunday or any point after. I was invited on Marr to talk about it but not asked a single question about @Shahmiruk or his story..
@JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject @shahmiruk The reason it matters is because the BBC is so dominant in UK news if it’s not on there, it’s like it hasn’t happened. The BBC’s failure to cover the story, I believe, is why it failed to have the impact it should have had.
@JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject @shahmiruk That is a really profound failing on their part. This was a huge story of massive public interest. Which the BBC refused to cover. And as @JolyonMaugham points out covered extraordinarily badly when they finally reported on it months later.
@JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject @shahmiruk They took Elliott at his words, let him spin the story, seek to undermine credibility of @shahmiruk & the findings of the official regulator. This really should be a moment for BBC to acknowledge & reflect...but if past behaviour is a guide, that won’t happen.
@JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject @shahmiruk But this whole story has to be understood as a quite catastrophic failing by the national broadcaster. Its editorial decisions impacted on national politics. It enabled PM to ignore her own ministers’ role in a huge electoral fraud of most consequential vote.
