BBC Scotland denies pro-SNP bias

Broadcaster denies claims that Newsnight Scotland is biased towards the Scottish National Party.

By Emma Geen Published 10 August 2012

Alex salmond, SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland (Image: Getty)

The BBC has published a letter in today's Scotsman defending itself against claims that Newsnight Scotland is biased towards the Scottish National Party.

It follows the political drama surrounding an interview broadcast on Tuesday night, in which the Labour MP Ian Davidson referred to the programme as “News-nat Scotland”, accused it of pro-SNP bias and refused presenter Isabel Fraser’s demands to apologize. Davidson’s attack was later supported by Labour activist and former Glasgow Lord Provost Michael Kelly writing in his Scotsman colomn yesterday.

The BBC responded in their letter by saying:

[W]e completely reject suggestions of bias on the part of our journalists working on Newsnight Scotland or, indeed, on any other of our programmes . . . Ms Fraser did what BBC journalists do week in, week out when she robustly, but fairly, challenged the views of Ian Davidson MP on Tuesday evening’s show . . . To suggest that by asking these questions she holds or promotes a particular opinion is, quite fundamentally, to misunderstand political interviewing.

However, the Herald’s political editor Magnus Gardham argued today that Davidson escalated his attack only “after it emerged an apparently neutral constitutional lawyer interviewed by the programme was an SNP blogger”.

The Herald reports that Davidson is now calling for an apology from BBC Scotland.

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Tags: SNP BBC

View the discussion thread.

9 comments

Mon, 2012-08-13 13:13 — uglyfatbloke (not verified)

Red Rain...there's nothing wrong with Unionism, thre is something wrong with the massive media bias in favour of it and there is definitely something wrong about BBC Scotland's traditional support of Labour - even when Labour has been utterly insupportable. For the BBC - and the papers too - there;s nothing wrong with Labour cosying up with the Orange Order. Do you really think that would be acceptable to the Labour party in England, 'cos I don't.
For the BBC - and the papers - Glasgow councillors being so close with gangsters is n't worthy of comment - do you think Labour members anywhere else would be content with that?
For the BBC the tradition of corruption, cronyism and jobs for the boys in Glasgow is just a natural part of political life....I'm glad to see that the Scotsman was prepared to stand up over that one, but it's an isolated example.
To a great degree the SNP have not prospered because they have provided reasonably competent social democrat-style government, it is because the Labour party in Scotland is so raddled with dishonesty.
Incidentally, Davidson has a track record of bullying - or trying to bully women; ask any any number of female Labour activists, MPs, MSPs and activists.

Sun, 2012-08-12 07:08 — Red Rain (not verified)

All accuse the BBC of being biased you simply can't please all the people all the time..

Sat, 2012-08-11 12:42 — uglyfatbloke (not verified)

The BBC (and ITV for that matter) actually has a long track record of being very sympathetic to Unionism in general and the Labour Party in particular. Quite recently the studio guests on a particular programme discussing independence were all Labour party sympathisers and it has been quite commonplace for all of the guests to be unionists. Is it the case that the BBC are moving toward a neutral stance and that is what Davidson is complaining about?

Sun, 2012-08-12 16:30 — Red Rain (not verified)

What's wrong with Unionism?- isn't it better to be part of a unified whole... than a fragmented brooding minority? The British and the Irish have to much shared blood and sadly spilt blood to engage in sectarianism.

Mon, 2012-08-13 14:59 — LanarkshireCallum (not verified)

To suggest that independence would encourage brooding and sectarianism is nothing short of moronic. And believe it or not, Ireland has actually been independent for a while - you may have missed that!

Tue, 2012-08-14 18:10 — Red Rain (not verified)

Ireland is no longer independent - you may have missed that....

Sat, 2012-08-11 10:04 — JPJ2 (not verified)

Ian Davidson MP, Joyce MP, Devine MP and various other thuggish "Scottish" Labour troughers are standard issue and tell you the pit of naked self interest into which that party has descended.

Oblivion awaits them-or a place in the House of Lords where they can sit in unelected troughing splendour :-)

Mon, 2012-08-13 16:20 — Manny Shinwell (not verified)

Davidsons strategem hass been entirely successful. I.E. maximun publicity for I Davidson Plc.
Agree with previous comments He is a well known Bully and, as a former cooncillor and a Glasgow MP very much trades on his "plain speaking" aka threatening behaviuor.
I back the BBC to the hilt on this one.
idependence would minimise the scope for this type of individual to thrive in the culture of smokey Old Labour, the Labour of man's pub and the back room fixers

Sat, 2012-08-11 08:14 — Armin ius (not verified)

Davidson is typical of the "North Britisher" Labour MPs who have served Scotland so badly over the years. He has a history of making idiotic statements (such as describing the SNP as neo-fascist) which can only lead to the conclusion that he is an idiot.