The argument between the BBC and Labour communications guru Alastair Campbell has really hotted up. Campbell turned up at Channel 4 News while the show was on the air, completely by surprise. He then went on the show and proceeded to tear into the BBC and their covering of the ‘dodgy dossier’ issue. As ever Jon Snow handled him expertly.
Over at the Times, its noted that
Last night, in an interview for Channel 4 News described by Andrew Marr, the BBCs political editor, as jaw dropping, Jon Snow and Mr Campbell increasingly competed to interrupt each other over the state of BBC journalism.
The Times are also reporting that a group of senior Labour MP’s
will demand that all the BBC radio and television programmes that carried the allegation that Mr Campbell sexed up an intelligence dossier should apologise individually. If the strategy fails to produce the apology Mr Campbell seeks, he will make a formal complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Commission.
You can watch Alastair getting hot under the collar here.
You can read a transcript of his extensive criticisms of the media here. Meanwhile it is making front page news at the Guardian, and of course at the BBC.