‘You cover the tittle tattle around Reform, you don’t look at their policies.’
Responding to a BBC journalist’s question about Reform UK, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said the broadcaster needs to do a better job of holding Nigel Farage to account.
Davey criticised the BBC for giving Farage “such an easy ride” and said the channel needs to “raise its game” to expose the Reform UK leader.
On BBC Breakfast this morning, presenter Jon Kay said: “It’s interesting you brought up the name Nigel Farage and talked specifically about Reform, it’s a sign of the times isn’t it that you clearly see them as a real threat politically, however different you might like to think you are.”
In response, the Lib Dem leader said he was “really worried” about what Farage could do to the country, stating that he comes up “with all the problems” but has no solutions.
Davey then went on to say “I think he needs to be exposed and I have to say the BBC is not doing a very good job of doing that.”
He added: “You have him on, he gets away with all these arguments without being properly held to account.”
“That’s why I’m bringing him up today. I think the BBC needs to do a better job, needs to hold Nigel Farage to account and if I have to come on your programme to do that, I’ll do just that.”
Kay responded that BBC Breakfast had challenged Farage when he appeared on the programme, adding: “I would have thought as a Liberal Democrat that you would be interested in the media covering all voices in politics.”
The Lib Dem leader rebutted this, stating: “You cover the tittle tattle around Reform, you don’t look at their policies and if people are going to vote for him they need to know what they stand for.”
He added that “If you look at their policies there is not a lot there.”
The presenter said that last time Farage had appeared on BBC Breakfast they had challenged him on his criticisms of other parties and asked him to say what his own policies were.
Davey responded: “Maybe you’re the exception to the BBC rule, but I have to say when I look at the broad BBC coverage, he gets such an easy ride.”
He added: “The BBC has got to raise its game to expose Farage.”
Last week, Lib Democrat MP Max Wilkinson wrote to Ofcom accusing the BBC of giving “undue prominence” to Farage’s boat trip to the English Channel in its reporting.
Byline Times recently reported on new plans the BBC has drawn up to try and win over Reform voters due to a belief their news and drama output is creating “low trust issues” with Farage’s supporters.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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