BBC says Emily Maitlis's 'Newsnight' comments 'overstepped the mark'
The BBC has said Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis “overstepped the mark” with her comments about the way the government handled Dominic Cummings’ controversial lockdown trip.
Maitlis was accused of not being impartial after an instalment of the BBC show this week, when she said the prime minister’s adviser’s trip to Durham had "broken the rules" and that "the country can see that, and it's shocked the government cannot”.
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The BBC swiftly ruled that the programme breached impartiality rules, which has divided opinion, with some people agreeing and others saying Maitlis was right.
“One Cabinet minister has been heard to say that unless this is dealt with - that means the departure of Dominic Cummings - this could cost lives.”
Political Editor @nicholaswatt reports on the growing Tory revolt over the PM’s decision to stand by Mr Cummings👇#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/y916GxVbTY— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) May 26, 2020
The following day, Maitlis, 49, took a night off from the programme and was replaced by Katie Razzall.
BBC statement on last night's Newsnight pic.twitter.com/JFm4Nt5YMv
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) May 27, 2020
The BBC has now clarified its stance in a longer statement.
It said: “We would like to make absolutely clear that Emily Maitlis was not ‘removed’ or ‘suspended’ from last night’s programme, despite much speculation to the contrary. She herself has tweeted that she ‘asked for the night off’.
So grateful to my friend and excellent colleague @katierazz for stepping in this evening . She did so because I asked for the night off -knowing tonight’s prog would be in the most excellent hands 🖐 #newsnight https://t.co/0ZkH2KbzBF
— emily m (@maitlis) May 28, 2020
“The BBC must uphold the highest standards of due impartiality in its news output. We reviewed the entirety of Newsnight on Tuesday May 26th, including the opening section, and while we believe the programme contained fair, reasonable and rigorous journalism, we feel that we should have done more to make clear the introduction was a summary of the questions we would examine, with all the accompanying evidence, in the rest of the programme.
“As it was, we believe the introduction we broadcast did not meet our standards of due impartiality. Our staff have been reminded of the guidelines.
“Newsnight has a long-established and recognised reputation for excellent journalism, for scrutinising arguments and for holding power to account, which it does on a daily basis, including the night in question.”
The statement went on: “Our editorial guidelines allow us to make professional judgments but not to express opinion.
“The dividing line can be fine, but we aim to say so if we think we have overstepped the mark.
“The introduction to Newsnight was intended as a summary of the issues that would be explored, with all the supporting facts and evidence, in the programme. But as broadcast, it risked giving the perception that the BBC was taking sides, and expressing an opinion, rather than being impartial.
“It said that ‘the country’ was ‘shocked the government cannot see’ Dominic Cummings broke lockdown rules; that he ‘made those who struggled to keep the rules feel like fools’.
“But there are some who do not share this opinion, nor think that the issue is a ‘scandal’ or the prime pinister has displayed ‘blind loyalty’.
“By presenting a matter of public and political debate as if the country was unanimous in its view, we consider Newsnight risked giving the perception that the BBC was taking sides - or that the introduction constituted the presenter’s opinions, rather than a summary of the journalism which would follow, which explored these issues rigorously and fairly and, crucially, with the supporting evidence.”
The statement said it was “not a question of apportioning blame to anyone” but a “question of accountability to our audiences”.
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“Our audiences hold the BBC in high trust, not least because we hold ourselves to exacting standards, and we do not want to forfeit this by ignoring our own rules,” it said.
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has confirmed that it has received 366 complaints about the episode of Newsnight.
The Telegraph reported that the BBC has received at least 20,000 complaints. It is thought they relate both to Maitlis’s monologue and to the way it was handled.