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News & politics

BBC report inaccuracy

(49 Posts)
spabbygirl Mon 02-Mar-26 22:40:03

on the 10pm news Chris Mason reported about Keir Starmer's permission given to the US to use our air bases. What he did not say is that Starmer gave this permission in limited circumstances only, that is for defensive purposes not for offensive purposes.
This is a major omission and why the BBC is believed to be biased. I've just complained as I'm fed up with this scrappy reporting

Anniebach Mon 02-Mar-26 22:54:52

The most you can hope for is an apology, the BBC will then continue

Graphite Mon 02-Mar-26 23:10:59

Chris Mason is incredibly biased against Starmer and Labour in general. His behaviour during the recent Mandelson story was appalling. I’ve given up expecting balanced reporting from him (or Laura Kuenssberg.

Bodach Mon 02-Mar-26 23:11:03

Far be it from me to support the BBC, but in every one of their news reports I have seen today, it has been made very clear what Keir Starmer has been saying about the terms on which the US have been permitted to make use of our air bases: in most cases by showing the video of the PM making his statement on the matter. Mind you, "for defensive purposes only" does give the US a fair bit of leeway in what targets they strike - and quite rightly so, in my opinion.

Basgetti Mon 02-Mar-26 23:23:59

Graphite

Chris Mason is incredibly biased against Starmer and Labour in general. His behaviour during the recent Mandelson story was appalling. I’ve given up expecting balanced reporting from him (or Laura Kuenssberg.

Completely agree with you about LK but can’t see it with CM. He was equally scathing about various Conservative PMs.

Bukkie Mon 02-Mar-26 23:27:17

Chris Mason is absolutely brilliant. He is intelligent, funny and a breath of fresh air. On the flip side we don't watch Question Time anymore because it is so left wing and woke and it is on the BBC.

Purplepixie Mon 02-Mar-26 23:28:04

I wish they would tell the truth!

Graphite Tue 03-Mar-26 01:25:08

Bukkie

Chris Mason is absolutely brilliant. He is intelligent, funny and a breath of fresh air. On the flip side we don't watch Question Time anymore because it is so left wing and woke and it is on the BBC.

I sometimes think I live in a parallel universe.

Doodledog Tue 03-Mar-26 02:29:52

Graphite

Chris Mason is incredibly biased against Starmer and Labour in general. His behaviour during the recent Mandelson story was appalling. I’ve given up expecting balanced reporting from him (or Laura Kuenssberg.

I couldn’t agree more. He’s a disgrace, and LK is no better.

eazybee Tue 03-Mar-26 07:15:07

I gave up trusting BBC news years ago because of its bias against Conservatives; I do notice on the occasions .
I see it that they rely on omission rather than comment.

But that dreadful speech that Starmer made, his staccato nasal delivery, looking as though someone had twisted his arm behind him; no wonder the country has lost confidence in him.
A lawyer, not a leader, trying to hide behind International Law.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:07:39

All the BBC news broadcasts I have seen and/or heard have reported that the two UK airbases which USA are being allowed to use for this conflict are to be used for defensive purposes only.

I do not think Chris Mason is biased he was just as robust in his questioning of the conservatives as he is Labour or any of the other parties.

theworriedwell Tue 03-Mar-26 08:12:32

GrannyGravy13

All the BBC news broadcasts I have seen and/or heard have reported that the two UK airbases which USA are being allowed to use for this conflict are to be used for defensive purposes only.

I do not think Chris Mason is biased he was just as robust in his questioning of the conservatives as he is Labour or any of the other parties.

Yes people are a bit tunnel visioned. I've seen LK accused of being very biased towards Labour and Conservatives. Maybe she just doesn't like anyone or maybe she's doing her job challenging whoever is in front of her. Same goes for CM.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:16:09

Compared to other political commentators LK and CM are really only pretty mediocre. I never waste time listening to them. I prefer someone with more weight.

Wyllow3 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:19:06

I find the BBBC news feed the only one where you can get up to date actual facts as events progress and am happy with it - we can go where we want for analysis.

Whats wrong with this to keep up to date?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy0dp1l57nxt

Whitewavemark2 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:21:59

Yes good for facts, but LK and CM poor on in depth analysis.

Vintagewhine Tue 03-Mar-26 08:23:08

I listen to the BBC news and was absolutely clear about what Starmer had agreed. I don't hear biased reporting, I hear challenges and politicians being asked difficult questions, surely that's what political reporting should be? However I do think all the media give Farage and Reform an easy ride.

MartavTaurus Tue 03-Mar-26 08:27:40

Whitewavemark2

Yes good for facts, but LK and CM poor on in depth analysis.

I disagree. CM is a political geek and very good at analysis. LK not so.
He doesn't set out to be popular with anyone, that's quite impressive. I see no bias.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:27:50

Whitewavemark2

Yes good for facts, but LK and CM poor on in depth analysis.

The trouble with in depth analysis especially with the current situation in the Middle East is it is little more than guesswork mind you it sounds highbrow.

Nobody knows what is going to happen, or what/how individual countries are going to react until they do. Especially with regards to the current POTUS and Netanyahu.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:32:41

MartavTaurus

Whitewavemark2

Yes good for facts, but LK and CM poor on in depth analysis.

I disagree. CM is a political geek and very good at analysis. LK not so.
He doesn't set out to be popular with anyone, that's quite impressive. I see no bias.

Only at a certain level. I’m not talking about bias, but the ability to analyse.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:37:25

gg13 😊 yes I agree about Iran.

No one knows what’s going to happen - least of all the perpetrators who started it.

That is one if the biggest questions in the USA - what does the end look like?

Trump hasn’t a clue, or at least he knows what he wants - distraction from Epstein, the latest report from NYT apparently says that there are files showing Trump raped children.

But as far as anything else he is clueless how to get what he wants - which is a good deal (oil) for the Trump family.

MartavTaurus Tue 03-Mar-26 08:52:48

Whitewavemark2

MartavTaurus

Whitewavemark2

Yes good for facts, but LK and CM poor on in depth analysis.

I disagree. CM is a political geek and very good at analysis. LK not so.
He doesn't set out to be popular with anyone, that's quite impressive. I see no bias.

Only at a certain level. I’m not talking about bias, but the ability to analyse.

I am talking about analysis in my post too!
I said, "CM is good at analysis", and as
GG13says, the fast moving situation requires him to explain new developments calmly without dramatising. He breaks his reports down into manageable pieces, I think that shows a logical approach.

Primrose53 Tue 03-Mar-26 08:59:29

Bukkie

Chris Mason is absolutely brilliant. He is intelligent, funny and a breath of fresh air. On the flip side we don't watch Question Time anymore because it is so left wing and woke and it is on the BBC.

Totally agree. 👏👏

kittylester Tue 03-Mar-26 09:05:13

I agree too and I was well aware that the Americans are only allowed to use the bases for defensive purposes - from the BBC's reporting..

Boz Tue 03-Mar-26 09:11:27

The thing is that few people watching the news want in-depth analysis any more; its all sound bites around a skeleton of real (what is real?) information.
Watch everything with scepticism.
The public is easily swayed along the path of its personal prejudices.
Buyer beware

fancythat Tue 03-Mar-26 09:16:19

Purplepixie

I wish they would tell the truth!

Hear hear.

I sometimes wonder if there is[just and not good enough] sloppy reporting going on.