Tell Laura

A festive message for Laura Kuenssberg, BBC Director of News Fran Unsworth and the Editor of the BBC 6pm and 10pm bulletins, Paul Royall.

Laura heads off on a break tonight. Things need to change in the New Year if she's not going to burn out. No previous Political Editor has taken on more output. She tweets, she blogs, she does the Today programme, she does the on-the-day-package, she live tops and tails it, she comes back at the end of the bulletin for a final word with Huw/Sophie/Clive/Fiona, she does Brexitcast/Electioncast (now in vision as well as audio). Prior to the Bojo 'deal', she and Katya Adler filled the 6 and 10 with live-two ways, some incisive, many closer to the work of Private Eye reporter Phil Space and columnist Polly Filler. And she's made two hour-long tv specials on Brexit.

It's been a weekday, sixteen-hours-out-of -24, live commentary on an extraordinary year. And largely, a triumph. But it devalues her insight for the audience. Old-style political editors weren't on the air all the time - they would bring themselves forward when a distinct ratchet-noise was heard in continuous mumbling and grumbling of UK politics. (Some, of course, were lazy, and had to be firmly persuaded to make appearances).

Paul and his loyal lieutenants in particular need to be told that not every political report needs the special, high level context and analysis of a Laura two-way; some stories of 'things that have actually happened' can be reported by a package alone. Indeed, with a large Tory majority, not every Westminster story now needs three packages - the event, the take outside London, and some graphic nonsense from John Pienaar. Ease back - and let Laura decide when she's got something really important to tell the audience. You'll do us all a favour.