The BBC is coming under significant pressure to part company with the presenter of their flagship political shows, Politics Live and This Week, Andrew Neil, after an astonishing late night Twitter rant which included an extraordinary ‘sexist attack’ aimed at Guardian journalist Carole Cadwalladr.
In a now-deleted tweet, published at 03:15 in the morning, the BBC presenter labelled Cadwalladr a “mad cat woman“:
Cadwalladr is an award-winning journalist who has been routinely attacked by high profile supporters of Brexit after her work exposing shady goings on within the Brexit campaign during the referendum.
Neil, who is also the Chairman of the hard-right Spectator magazine – amongst many, many other paid roles – is a staunch supporter of Brexit.
During his late night rant, Neil also labelled Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillepsie a “miserable Jock“, and accused him of spouting “Corbynista propaganda from his fancy Islington pad“:
I hope we show it again so somebody can tell who the miserable Jock is and what he’s ever done. Other than scowl and spout Corbynista propaganda from his fancy Islington pad. https://t.co/OkHoyZBRHP
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) November 13, 2018
Unsurprisingly, Neil’s far from impartial rant came in for significant criticism:
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1062282206066958336
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1062290399040073729
Andrew Neil (@afneil) has had a motive from the start. He referred to evidence that proved criminal activity as “hearsay” and is now spewing sexist, blatantly biased views. I hate wasting time calling the BBC out but this is getting wholly unacceptable. This is not journalism. pic.twitter.com/HjaSw5ld6A
— Shahmir (@shahmiruk) November 13, 2018
It's strange that supposedly impartial BBC presenter Andrew Neil should use the same language as the "Bad Boys of Brexit" to describe the multi-award-winning investigative journo who has exposed their alleged crimes @carolecadwalla pic.twitter.com/mAjnkmPbSw
— Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) November 13, 2018
Andrew Neil tweeting from, I presume, Broadwater Farm in Tottenham. https://t.co/cIHBz3ZBMN
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) November 13, 2018
I'll try to remember Andrew Neil as a journalist rather than a bitter old man spitting misogyny in the small hours of the night. pic.twitter.com/bvXuT52RHk
— Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) November 13, 2018
This is what passes as journalism at @BBC in 2018.
Former Murdoch hack Andrew Neil calling award-winning @carolecadwalla mentally ill. She broke stories about Cambridge Analytica while BBC News buried its head. As it did with BBC 'star' Savile.
Andrew Neil should be sacked pic.twitter.com/DH8983QgvL
— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) November 13, 2018
Why does the BBC hate Carole Cadwalladr? Andrew Neil's tweet today gave the game away. It is not acceptable for a public service broadcaster to behave in this way. https://t.co/Y02XN72Jr4
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) November 13, 2018
Following the criticism, it appears Neil was forced to delete his tweet aimed at Cadwalladr, with the BBC Press Team issuing a response stating:
“There has been some discussion on here regarding a tweet from Andrew Neil about Carole Cadwalladr. He has deleted the tweet and recognises it was inappropriate.”
There has been some discussion on here regarding a tweet from Andrew Neil about Carole Cadwalladr. He has deleted the tweet and recognises it was inappropriate.
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) November 13, 2018
However, despite deleting the tweet after recognising it was “inappropriate”, Neil is yet to apologise.
The tweet was online for at least seven hours before being removed.
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1062338040788647937
Responding to Neil’s outburst on Twitter, Cadwalladr wrote:
“Four days ago, I wrote to @BBC re its role in amplifying @Arron_banks’ harassment campaign against me. I cited Neil’s tweets.
This isn’t just sexist & unfunny. & it doesn’t just reveal wider failure to report the story. It betrays the British public. Who are not being told the truth.”
4 days ago, I wrote to @bbc re its role in amplifying @arron_banks’ harassment campaign against me. I cited Neil’s tweets. This isn’t just sexist & unfunny. & it doesn’t just reveal wider failure to report the story. It betrays the British public. Who are not being told the truth pic.twitter.com/6iBSX2Pbm2
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) November 13, 2018
She also went on to label the BBC’s response as “so very inadequate”:
This is so very inadequate https://t.co/95zfRAdFJQ
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) November 13, 2018
The BBC also came in for criticism for their apparent double standards in relation to Neil’s latest outburst and the situation surrounding the departure of their former presenter James O’Brien, who was forced to resign from his role presenting Newsnight rather than tone down his left wing views.
Earlier this year, O’Brien tweeted stating:
“As regular listeners know, I withdrew from the [Newsnight] roster some months ago to retain my right to criticise Brexit and Trump in my other work, notably @LBC.
The thing Brextremists really can’t compute is me being prepared to compromise my career for principles.
I hated stepping down from Newsnight and could have stayed with simple changes to my modus operandi outside the Beeb. The decision makes me look decent so they claim I was axed.”
However, it appears that the BBC are yet to issue the same ultimatum with Andrew Neil regarding his now routine, and unashamedly hard-right, political outbursts.
