UK Regulator Finds BBC in Breach of Objectivity Rules Over Criticism of Scottish Gov't

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK media regulator Ofcom found that the BBC had violated "due impartiality rules" in a news item aired in February 2021, which included an interview with a prominent politician Ruth Davidson, who made several critical and accusatory statements about the Scottish government.

The news item, an edition of the World at One news and current affairs program, was aired on BBC Radio 4 and covered the dispute between the Scottish government and former First Minister, Alex Salmond, over the handling of the harassment complaints lodged against him. Then-leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Baroness Ruth Davidson, was invited to give an interview at the program, where she "expressed, at length, strongly critical views about the Scottish Government," offering no alternative viewpoints on the matter.

"Ofcom has found the BBC in breach of due impartiality rules in relation to a news item broadcast on The World at One, BBC Radio 4, on 24 February 2021," the statement said.

Ofcom cited several instances when Davidson accused the government of its allegedly corrupt behavior, such as "the Government is running riot and is denying the Parliament its right of scrutiny" and "there are now questions over whether it has corrupted the whole structure of democracy."

The regulator reached this decision, taking into account not only the gravity of the accusations, but also the absence of an alternative perspective provided to the public. The broadcaster also failed to give a clear link to the next edition of the program with the continuation of this story.

On Thursday, UK media reported that the BBC will pay damages to Tiggy Legge-Bourke (now Alexandra Pettifer), the former nanny of Prince Harry and Prince William, over false claims about her alleged affair with Prince Charles, which were made to obtain an interview with Princess Diana in 1995.