Thread by @robfordmancs

The responses to this call for some sense of perspective have been predictably hysterical. Two substantive lines of criticism though - firstly, that the video generates an angry response because it typifies "BBC bias", secondly that other leaders don't get this treatment 1/?

https://twitter.com/robfordmancs/status/1199989901858607104

Lets' look at each. Is this kind of thing typical of BBC coverage? Here are the main stories on the BBC news UK site right now:
1. IFS report on parties' spending pledges
2. Net migration statistics
3. Labour change of election strategy
4. Violence during consensual sex

Here are the main stories on the BBC website "election 2019" page:
1 IFS again
2. Lab election strategy again
3. Boris to help women in politics
4. Lab to plant 2 billion trees
5. DUP will seek changes to Brexit deal

Lower down the list there are also stories on both Labour anti-semitism allegations and Con Islamophobia allegations. Reality check and features both do reports on pledges from Lab and Con

Here are the latest stories on the BBC Politics twitter feed right now: Lab MP Lucy Powell on WASPI women (2 tweets); Lab 2 Billion trees pledge; Con candidate forced to apologise for racially insensitive comments; DUP oppo to Brexit deal; IFS criticises Con spending plans

Then several tweets about IFS again, then net immigration, then one on anti-semitic comments by a Lab candidate, then parents of Harry Dunn sue foreign office; then Layla Moran (LD) talking 2nd ref on Breakfast; then 4 tweets in a row on NHS/trade paper leaks

...then Lab change of election strategy, then information pieces on devolution, first time buyers, environment, then piece on MPs abuse, then Johnson women pledge, then Labour trees pledge a second time

Now I'm sure some of you will insist, regardless, that there is a systematic pattern of bias here. I can't really see it though. Perhaps the simpler explanation is that partisans' own biases skew what they remember, and what they share?

What about the claim that Johnson gets softball treatment not accorded anyone else. I'm sure it will be impossible for me to find a puff pieces showing other leaders doing banal things with food, right?

theguardian.com/politics/video…

Or uncritically positive pieces about other leaders in friendly contexts?
bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-403…
bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/artic…

And of course puff pieces featuring leaders eating food are totally alien to British campaign trail politics

Though, of course, they never do that with Corbyn...

This is all so much fuss over nothing. An obscure puff piece that virtually no one will see. The kind of puff piece that the BBC, and all media outlets, produce from time to time in *every* campaign and about *every* leader.

There are certainly relevant debates to have about media coverage - e.g. the failure (as yet) to ensure all leaders take part in the same scrutiny events (debates, interviews etc) is a major problem, and is letting Johnson off the hook. But "sconegate"? Come off it.

PS seeing as Laura Kuenssberg has become something of a totemic figure for those claiming BBC bias, lets see what she has tweeted so far today:
IFS criticism of both parties spending plans (twice), Clive James obit...

Labour candidate removed for anti-semitism, change in Lab elec strategy, Hong Kong, electioncast, NHS trade docs leak (with video), 3 pretty scepticla tweets on YouGov MRP, SNP pledge to protect Scotland from Tories, Cummins plog, video of nurse criticising Johnson