A LEADING journalist has exposed how the BBC "appeases" extremists in the UK in a social media thread following his appearance on Question Time.
Writer and leading environmental campaigner George Monbiot took to social media on Friday morning warning followers to “never underestimate the extent to which the BBC changed this country by giving endless airtime” to far-right voices including Nigel Farage, citing his previous experience at the BBC.
Monbiot, who worked for the broadcaster from 1985-97, said the corporation had gone “beyond recognition” in the decades since.
The post came after Monbiot was applauded on BBC Question Time as he took aim the UK Government’s Rwanda plan on Thursday evening.
On Twitter/X, he said BBC has “appeased” far-right extremists and the “Tufton Street junktanks” even if “they all profess to hate the BBC and want to defund it”.
He said: “It's true that the BBC was never an impartial organisation. It has done the state's bidding, and blacklisted radicals, from the beginning. But it never possessed the self-immolatory character it has now. How did it happen? Appeasement.”
He reflected on the “last of the golden years” of the broadcaster in the 80s which was when, he described, it had “a bold go-get-'em mentality” among “establishment”.
Monbiot offered that “that's why Thatcher launched her coup against it, from which the BBC has never recovered. It was turned overnight into a cowering shadow of itself”.
We should never underestimate the extent to which the BBC changed this country by giving endless airtime to Nigel Farage, other far right extremists and the Tufton Street junktanks, while shutting out progressive voices. 🧵
— George Monbiot (@GeorgeMonbiot) December 8, 2023
He added: “Since then, it has grovelled to anyone who has the power to beat it up. Who has that power in spades? The billionaire press. The BBC shifts and shifts and shifts to appease the insane demands of the Mail, Telegraph, Sun etc. But they cannot be appeased. They'll always want more.
“So rather than providing a counterweight to the psychopathic, nation-destroying demands of offshore billionaires and their junktank stooges, the BBC amplifies them. But appeasement only makes your opponents stronger.”
He continued: “An important part of the media baron strategy is to persuade their readers that the BBC is a left-wing organisation. Even as it bows to their every demand, even as its panels give more and more airtime to the far right, they insist it's a nest of Trots. And people believe it!
“Even if Farage were appointed BBC chair, the message in the papers would be that his job was to 'root out left-wing bias'. This is what needs to be understood: the billionaire press is dissatisfied by design. It will not and cannot be satisfied.”
Monbiot went on to share a graphic mapping every guest on BBC Question Time in 2022 and 2023, showing it is “rare” for the show to feature voices from left-leaning media outlets.
"Let's hope it's not another 23 years" - George Monbiot For reference, its rare for #BBCQT to have guests that aren't from right wing media See the top row of this chart Credit to @Steve__Paxton - last updated May 2023https://t.co/5cPgcmaCGO pic.twitter.com/DoyiqFq4r8
— Russell England 😷💉💙🇪🇺🧳🌻🇺🇦🗿 (@RussellEngland) December 8, 2023
Following his own appearance on the show a number of people took to Twitter/X to praise the writer for his comments, including SNP MSP Maree Todd.
“Well said @GeorgeMonbiot. This clip is well worth a watch.”
WATCH HERE: Question Time: Audience applauds as George Monbiot tears into Rwanda plan
Another user said Monbiot had to be “the best guest on Question Time for ages” while a third added that his comments were “just brilliant”.
Elsewhere, one user commented: “An absolute annihilation of this pathetic government and it’s performative cruelty.”
Monbiot added that people who simply wanted “safe haven” were met with a “government of sadists deliberately beating them up in order to show how tough they are”.
Writing on his own social media account after the show, Monbiot said: “Thanks everyone for your support.
“My voice just held out to the end of the show, but now it has almost completely gone. I’m not actually ill: the cold has passed.
“But I’m looking forward to getting to bed. Let’s hope it’s not another 23 years until I’m back on #QuestionTime.”
