Richard Murphy in huge spat with BBC presenter over 'pro-Union bias'

The National

6 days ago

Murphy took part in the phone-in on the Mornings show presented by Connie McLaughlin on Wednesday when the pair got into a spat.
Midway through an extensive discussion on impartiality at the BBC, Murphy came onto the programme to say he did not have confidence in the BBC, highlighting that the 'nationalist community' does not trust the broadcaster because it is 'so absolutely pro-Unionist'.
After former BBC political editor Brian Taylor was brought back into the discussion – having spoken on the programme already – alongside ex-BBC Radio 4 presenter Roger Bolton, Murphy and McLaughlin then got into a heated back-and-forth.
READ MORE: Media expert raises fears over BBC Gaza documentary review
When Murphy was brought in to have his 'final word', he said: 'We've gone on for 40-plus minutes and all I've heard so far is pro-BBC propaganda from the BBC.'
McLaughlin then interrupted to say: 'Well not really because they've allowed you to speak.'
'No, let me finish Connie please,' Murphy then said.
McLaughlin then hit back saying: 'Richard, come on.'
Murphy then said he had just heard a programme 'which is entirely about how good the BBC is from BBC editors and producers' which he claimed is 'bias'.
McLaughlin interrupted him again saying: 'Have you not been speaking on the programme for the last eight minutes or so because I don't think then that's accurate?'
(Image: Ian West/PA Wire) Murphy then said: 'Every time I do, you interrupt me Connie and you are not interrupting your BBC colleagues.'
McLaughlin said it was 'not fair' for Murphy to make that accusation as she warned him that he had a minute and a half left to speak.
'The BBC is biased in favour of big business, it is biased in favour of the right wing media because it uses that as its news sources in the main for discussion, it is biased against the nationalist cause in Scotland, it is biased against the Palestinian cause in its claim and its right to have a state, it is biased in favour of Israel very clearly,' Murphy concluded.
McLaughlin replied: 'Thank you for that, you've had your say and hopefully you think you had enough time there.'
The squabble had been preceded by Murphy clashing with Taylor after the economist claimed Taylor had said he had never heard any complaints about BBC bias in his time at the broadcaster.
READ MORE: Scottish Tories in cronyism row as THIRD ex-spin doctor gets public cash
Taylor clarified that he had said he was 'never at any point asked within the BBC by managers to tailor a report to fit an agenda dictated by the BBC' adding that he had witnessed 'endless complaints' about BBC Scotland coverage.
But Murphy hit back by claiming the BBC bases its news agenda on a printed press heavily skewed in favour of the Union.
He said: 'You're saying there's never been an instruction but let's look at how the BBC constructs so much of its news output.
'Almost every day the BBC's news agenda is tailored by what is in the media, the rest of the media, in particular the printed media.
'Have you noticed the bias in the printed media in Scotland? There is one pro-independence newspaper and a raft of those who are opposed.
'So, if the BBC reflects equally each of the newspapers, the nationalist cause does not get represented.'
McLaughlin said: 'The purpose of the BBC is not to reflect every newspaper out there.'
The BBC has come under fire from a variety of angles after an independent review found it had breached an accuracy guideline in failing to disclose that the narrator of a documentary on Gaza was the son of a Hamas official.
However, the report also concluded that in terms of the programme's content, there were no issues with accuracy, fairness or impartiality.
The BBC has also sacked both MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode, following a review into the behaviour of Wallace.
The report, commissioned by MasterChef production company Banijay UK and led by law firm Lewis Silkin, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language.
Wallace was sacked by the BBC last week.
In a post on Instagram, Torode confirmed he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation.
Torode has been told his contract on MasterChef will not be renewed on Tuesday.