The BBC has been accused of attempting to get ministers to quit their positions while they were live on broadcast.
An MP sent an SMS asking her to leave while she was on the air, purporting to be from a producer on the network’s main Today show.
The PM’s handling of the Chris Pincher scandal has led to the resignation of more than 30 ministers, including Bim Afolami, who did so live on TalkTV.
Maria Caulfield, a junior bag carrier at the Department of Health and a member of parliament for Lewes, criticized the BBC for portraying the incident as a “huge game.”
She had been invited to speak on the Radio 4 show, but instead declined and posted a message online.
A note was posted online with the following message: “I understand you may well be staying in position but if you are intending on quitting we’d be very happy to secure an interview with you – a resignation live on TV would be even better.”
If that’s anything you’d think about, ‘please do let me know in private.’
We are all having a really difficult time as we work nonstop for our constituents, according to Ms. Caulfield.
For the BBC, it’s simply one huge game, which is unfortunate.
An incensed senior government source was quoted by The Sun as saying: “This style of gotcha journalism is far from the public service broadcasting the public expects from the BBC.”
‘It once again goes to their impartiality when reporting on this government and verges on the absurd.’
The BBC program me may have been trying to replicate Hitchin and Harpenden MP Bim Afolami’s resignation on TV last night.
The Tory Party’s vice chairman said on Talk TV last night: ‘I think that what’s been very sad over recent allegations about the former deputy chief whip and other things that have happened over recent weeks, I just don’t think the prime minister has, not just my support, but the support of the party or the country anymore.
‘And I think for that reason he should step down.’