BBC mocked as TV chef used as Israel-Iran expert
The BBC has been ridiculed after making the bizarre decision to put TV Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (pictured) on an expert panel on the Israel-Iran conflict on its flagship political show. The cook and Green Party supporter used his appearance on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg to attack the decision to deploy the RAF to the Middle East.
He also demanded Britain refuses to sell weapons to the Israeli Government and criticised the UK for helping to train Israel Defense Forces personnel. Hugh, most famous for championing the use of fresh, seasonal and foraged British ingredients, also claimed that the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran was a disaster for Gaza. Viewers were shocked he was invited on the show and mused whether the BBC would have Gordon Ramsey or Jamie Oliver on the panel next week.
Another wag asked: 'When will you be getting Nigella Lawson's take on North Korea's nuclear capability? Just don't want to miss that one'. One critic has launched a Government petition asking for the G7 Summit to be expanded to the G8 'to include the guidance of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall'. Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall was on a high-power panel with British-Iranian journalist Christiane Amanpour and Lord Browne, the former boss of BP who has spent periods in Iran.
Hugh was asked by Laura Kuenssberg to comment on Israel's decision to strike more than 100 targets in Iran due to its 'nuclear ambitions'. The TV chef said that Israel had been waiting for the chance to strike its enemy - but immediately criticised the Prime Minister and the UK Government. 'It's concerning to me that we're sending jets out to the Middle East to support this when all the talk should be of de-escalation', Hugh said. 'If Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour government really wanted to show they were serious about de-escalating, they should stop selling arms to Israel'.
He said it was time for Britain to 'push Israel very hard' and withdraw military support and training. 'Personally I think we should have done [that] a long time ago', he said. He also criticised the Government's decision to cut the Foreign Office budget. After Ms Amanpour speculated on Israel's military strategy and Lord Browne spoke about the global oil and gas trade, Hugh was asked about what he thought about the images from Israel and Iran.
The cook said he was shocked but went on that the Israel-Iran conflict was another tragedy for Gaza because the plight of their people has been taken off the front pages. He said: 'This is an absolute disaster for them'. He went on: 'We have to spare a thought for them today'. Today the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz is heading towards the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran spirals into all-out war.
Donald Trump earlier warned that Iran will experience 'the full strength' of the American military if it attacks the US amid the conflict with Israel, despite reports he had vetoed Israel's plans to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader. The US President warned Tehran that if 'we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before'. Iranian missiles rained down on Israel in the early hours of Monday, damaging the US Embassy as Tehran called for its allies to form an Islamic Army to wage war against Tel Aviv.
At least eight Israelis were killed and dozens more injured when a barrage of Iranian missiles breached Israel's multi-layered defense systems, hitting both Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa. The strikes destroyed homes and residential buildings, with fires burning at a power plant near the port hours after Israel killed three more high-ranking security figures, destroyed Iran's main nuclear facility in Natanz and raised the prospect of a regime change.
Iranians have been filmed shouting anti-regime slogans from windows and rooftops in Tehran and Karaj, according to independent media, with chants said to include 'Death to the dictator' and 'Death to Khamenei'.
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