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Video: No 10 communications chief rebukes BBC reporter

Craig Oliver gives Norman Smith a dressing down about Jeremy Hunt and BBC bias.

Craig Oliver attends a press conference, July 2011.
Craig Oliver attends a press conference, July 2011. Photograph: Getty Images

Number 10's director of communications, Craig Oliver, was hired in part for his broadcast expertise. However, he seems to have forgotten that you should be careful what you say in front of a microphone. A video of Oliver giving BBC politics reporter Norman Smith a five minute long tirade about the corporation's coverage of Jeremy Hunt has gone viral after it was leaked to the Guido Fawkes website. The first version of the video was removed from YouTube, but not in time to prevent copies being made. It is not quite The Thick of It; Oliver - formerly a senior BBC executive himself - manages to keep his temper in check. But he accuses Smith of bias and attempting to link David Cameron to events in which he was not involved.

Here it is in full:

1 comment

p j wall's picture

What a prized 'PRATT' Oliver is!, Flashman knows how to pick em.
This guy Oliver was a BBC news editor!, impartial, of course??, his missus Joanna Gosling, is a current BBC news presenter, i`m sure she`s very proud of him and his actions?, to say this guy is an 'amateur', is an insult to the word!.
All of this just shows how rattled, and damaged Flashman and the rest of the idiots at 'No 10' are!.
Norman Smith calmly, toyed with Oliver, leaving Oliver to storm off and sulk, like a spoilt, petulant child!, i suppose that`s one thing he has in common with Flashman!!.

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