A Freedom of Information request has revealed just a single journalist was given a written warning for contentious tweets over the last 12 months. This comes after the broadcaster recently issued new guidelines for staff to “ensure the highest possible standards of impartiality across the organisation”. This included staff working in news and current affairs, including Countryfile, The One Show and Woman’s Hour.
Conservative MP Lee Anderson yesterday blasted the BBC for being a “propaganda machine.”
Speaking after details of the FOI request, submitted by , was revealed, said: “The BBC are not fit for purpose.
“They are nothing more than a left-wing propaganda machine who allow their multi-millionaire stars to interfere with the running of our country.”
People on Twitter also reacted furiously.
The BBC has come under fire over accusations it only punished one employee for biased tweets (Image: GETTY)
One person wrote: “For more than five years now the BBC has not just been unfit for purpose, but has been actively complicit in undermining British society and values.”
Another person added: “The BBC a waste of public money .”
The BBC’s new director general Tim Davie previously warned staff over their use of social media in a bid to crack down on bias.
He said those wanting to be an “opinionated columnist or a partisan campaigner on social media” should not be working at the BBC.
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Emily Maitlis came under fire for posting her views on Twitter (Image: GETTY)
The guidelines also tell all employees that they must “always behave professionally, treating others with respect and courtesy at all times: follow the BBC’s Values”.
Last December, Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis liked a tweet claiming Boris Johnson’s rhetoric was “fuelling racism in British society”.
She also faced backlash for expressing an opinion on gender self-identification in the same month.
She tweeted: “We discussed gender self-identification last night #newsnight . It’s not ‘these people ‘.
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Laura Kuenssberg removed a tweet wrongly claiming a Labour activist punched a Tory advisor (Image: GETTY)
“It’s the fact a blanket law would allow any predatory man to self identify as female to gain access to women. That’s the danger.”
Political editor Laura Kuenssberg also faced backlash for wrongly claiming a Labour activist punched a Tory advisor last December.
Ms Kuenssberg also said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s claims about checks at the Irish border were as bad as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pretending to watch the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day.
She wrote: “The margins in lots of seats might be very narrow – so those factors and parties’ plans to get vote out could matter hugely – gap btw success and failure for Johnson is extremely small no matter how many fish he manhandles.
“Brass neck’s been one of central features of this campaign – Johnson on checks (remember he DID admit back in Oct there’d be extra checks under Brexit deal however much he obfuscates over it now – define check, and define customs declaration), or Corbyn on watching the Queen.”
Ms Kuenssberg later updated her Twitter bio to read: “I know it’s fashionable, but even in 2019 there is nothing big or clever about shooting the messenger.”
The BBC’s impartiality guidelines also say staff have also been warned to “be wary of ‘revealed bias'”.
This could be through the use of likes or re-posting other posts, or “inferred bias” where a post is impartial but loose wording allows readers to infer a bias where there is none.
The BBC’s impartiality guidelines say staff have also been warned to “be wary of ‘revealed bias'” (Image: GETTY)
The other rules said: “Don’t bring the BBC into disrepute.
“If your work requires you to maintain your impartiality, don’t express a personal opinion on matters of public policy, politics, or ‘controversial subjects’.
“Don’t criticise your colleagues in public. Respect the privacy of the workplace and the confidentiality of internal announcements.”
Express.co.uk has contacted the BBC for a comment.
