Ept ?

Sir Robbie Gibb, former supremo of live political programmes at the BBC, spent much of yesterday fuming at Newsnight policy editor Lewis Goodall and his contribution to this week's New Statesman. "Is there anyone more damaging to the BBC's reputation for impartiality than Lewis Goodall. This is so off the scale I don't even know where to begin". The Media Guido wing of the Guido Fawkes blogs says "Goodall should resign. Or be fired". 

Sir Robbie, knighted for his services to Theresa May in her time at No 10, is also the brother of Schools Minister Nick Gibb. Mr Goodall previously contributed two pieces to the New Statesman when he was working for IPPR North in 2011. 

It looks like the article, on the exam results car-crash, was "signed off" within the BBC. This could happen at Editor level or perhaps one above, often on the recommendation of long-serving editorial 'advisors' who actually have to read the stuff. 

The BBC seems to be arguing that the 'subbing' of the article is the problem, rather than the content. "We do not control how the piece is presented on the cover when published.”  Neither 'inept' or 'ineptitude' appear in the body of Goodall's text.