OPINION:
President Trump regularly accuses the American mainstream media of acting as the official mouthpiece for the Democratic Party, but the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) is also now a DNC devotee.
For far too long the BBC has enjoyed the reputation of being an impartial broadcaster. Its current director-general, Lord Hall, even boasted, “In every country in the world, the BBC is known and admired. To many it has been a light in the darkness, a beacon of truth.”
“Has been” is the key part. Brexit and the Trump election showed any impartiality it might have had now gathers dust in the BBC’s archives.
The time-honored benchmark of responsible journalism is being willing to present differing viewpoints, but for the BBC today, if the Democrats say it is true, it must be so.
The latest example of DNC groupthink was the BBC’s recent coverage of the impeachment hearings, which was anything but balanced.
Its presenters recounted in serious tones and with brows suitably furrowed to disguise their probable glee, the opening charges by Rep. Adam B. Schiff, chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the accusations of his star witnesses.
The convincing rebuttals by Rep. Devin Nunes and his Republican colleagues were omitted and although the president’s comments were mentioned, they were mostly dismissed as predictable denials.
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s filmed boast of his quid pro quo with the Ukrainian government was dismissed by one BBC presenter as “unsubstantiated allegations.” Any evidence of a “deep state” coup is just a Republican conspiracy theory.
The BBC’s coverage of American politics does not inform so much as conform to the DNC’s attack agenda — it is now more propaganda than proper news.
The real crime for the BBC, and the left generally, was Donald Trump winning the election in 2016 and they certainly don’t want him to become a repeat offender in 2020.
The news broadcaster is not alone in its contempt for the president. On both of his official visits to Britain, the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, barred him from addressing Parliament as he didn’t think President Trump had “earned the right.”
But then Mr. Bercow’s acute neutrality deficiency was also apparent during the many Brexit debacles in Parliament.
Prime Minister Theresa May added to his insults by downgrading her first offer of a state-level reception for the president to a working visit, because she was afraid of the reaction to it.
How shocking that a U.K. government, which prides itself on its diplomatic prowess and its special relationship with the United States, showed such disdain and weakness. After all, insulting a president is also an insult to his nation.
Even the socialist French President Emmanuel Macron gave Mr. Trump a state-level welcome to his country two years before the U.K. summoned up the courage.
Mrs. May’s climb-down was probably influenced by the BBC, and other U.K. media outlets, purveying the DNC’s anti-Trump “disinformazia.”
Her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, showed infinitely more courage and concern for the alliance by hosting the president at Windsor Castle, where she accorded him her own state-level courtesy.
The British monarch has personal memories of the many times the special relationship has saved the free world, long before these current political minnows decided to disregard it.
For his part, the president exhibited tremendous humility and restraint by not tweeting about the crass rudeness and timidity of the British political class.
This was the same U.K. government that in 2015 bestowed its highest state welcome to the Communist leader of China, President Xi Jinping. He was introduced to Parliament with lavish praise from the very same Speaker Bercow who evidently believed Mr. Xi had earned it more.
Now the U.K. is facing a general election. If Jeremy Corbyn’s Labor party wins this will strain the trans-Atlantic relationship even further, not to mention the British economy, but so far Boris Johnson looks likely to remain in 10 Downing Street, although he may have to share the door keys in an alliance.
If he wins it should be a matter of urgency, even national security, that Mr. Johnson repairs any damage caused to the special relationship in recent years. That is if his EU exit agreement will allow a trade deal with America anytime soon.
Yet, the Conservative manifesto also includes hugely expensive net-zero carbon targets to be paid for with massive amounts of Chinese money, just to keep the BBC and others happy.
Well, that must be the real reason as China produces 18 times — and growing — the amount of CO2 that the U.K. does, so getting increasingly owned by them won’t change much, even if you believe in global warming.
And all those Hong Kong protesters waving their Union Jack flags this weekend can forget it. At least Mr. Trump has their backs.
• Andrew Davies is a U.K.-based video producer and scriptwriter.
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