Some thoughts on Laura Kuenssberg’s tenure as BBC Political Editor (and why it was such a catastrophe, and why it wasn't really her fault). LK is an outstanding continuous news journalist. She loves being on air, she loves being first with a story, and she is very good at ‘winging it’. That’s why she was chosen for the job, and that’s why none of the following is on her - it’s on BBC management.

A Thread about Identity: I was born in England, and my father’s father’s family were Oxfordshire blacksmiths, going back many hundreds of years. My father’s mother, though, was Irish. Over the past five years I have become increasingly ashamed of England... Its government - backed admittedly by only 40% of the people - is nasty, corrupt, dishonest and stupid. It's political journalists, who should have held this increasingly fascist government to account...

I'm a BBC person, and there was some good reporting over the election period, but I've been very disappointed overall, and found @CNNPolitics much better. The reason can be summed up by 'Balance'. I've written about this before, but the BBC is confusing impartiality with the need to always 'balance' everything. It should be just telling the truth... and the truth is not the midpoint between a fact and a lie...

Here's a thread about England I thought up while walking in Bavaria today. I got quite cross, despite seeing hundreds of butterflies, beautiful meadow flowers & Golden Eagles, and swimming in mountain streams and lakes..... It was hot today (about 30 degrees) and I walked about 20 miles in the mountains close to the Austrian border. I'm English, but I have a right to be here because (by virtue of an Irish passport) I'm a European citizen.

A thread about the cancellation of #Oktoberfest2020.
This is quite a signal from the Bavarian premier, Markus Söder. Cancelling the Oktoberfest is a big deal, but the health risks were found to outweigh the politics - and it feels like the right decision to me. 1/10 The Wies’n, as it’s known here, is such an important part of Munich’s cultural life that it’s influence is impossible to overstate. It begins in September, & concludes on the first Sunday of October (with occasional extentions for public holidays), & normally lasts 16 days 2/10

This is the Wendelstein. It’s 1838m high, and is an hour away from Munich by public transport. I climbed it today (Boxing Day), and as I did so, I had some thoughts about British politics (THREAD) The reason I’m here is because, as a citizen of the EU I have the *right* to live and work here. While my partner and daughter went skiing, I went walking in the heart of Europe, where we have the *right* to live together as a family…

I worked for the BBC for 25 years often in dangerous places. I'm now ashamed of it. I've written to BBC Director General Tony Hall. My focus is on the Farage coverage last week, but it was all confirmed yesterday with the way Marr interviewed @DavidLammy . (Thread): The way this works now is
1. Jacob Rees-Mogg quotes a German AfD fascist (a party that advocates shooting refugees).
2. JRM's supporters get the idea it's OK to be a fascist (as intended).
3. After row ensues (days later), JRM "apologises", an apology taken seriously by nobody.

I was bureau chief for the BBC in Baghdad between 2004-09, & I want to say something to the people knocking the BBC; but as an "unashamed" #Remainer, I want to say some things to the #BBC too (Thread 1/ I left the BBC in 2014 after a 25 year career. It was the only UK news organisation to maintain a presence in #Iraq for the entire period of Britain's involvement. I'm not citing myself as an outstanding exemplar of #BBC journalism... 2/12