Busy 24 hours for BBC spin doctor John Shield, as former Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis lays out a view of a BBC management cowed by the Government.
She says there was no 'due process' when her infamous programme intro "Dominic Cummings broke the rules" was deemed a breach of 'due impartiality' the following morning.
"Put this in the context of the BBC board, where another active agent of the Conservative party - former Downing Street spin doctor and former adviser to BBC rival GB News - now sits, acting as the arbiter of BBC impartiality."
First response from Mr Shield' unit last night: "As we have made clear previously in relation to Newsnight we did not take action as a result of any pressure from Number 10 or government and to suggest otherwise is wrong. The BBC found the programme breached its editorial standards and that decision still stands."
But a second and third response is needed. Sir Robbie Gibb is a non-executive member of the BBC's Editorial guidelines and standards committee. Is he an active agent of the Conservative party ? And, we note, the full phrase 'another active agent'.
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