AN LBC radio presenter has fiercely criticised Laura Kuenssberg's response to comments made by Stephen Flynn on her programme.
Appearing on the BBC ’s flagship Sunday morning politics show, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the SNP’s leader at Westminster was providing his thoughts on Boris Johnson’s handling of the Northern Ireland protocol.
When asked what he thought of Johnson’s influence on Rishi Sunak in a new deal being reached with Northern Ireland, he said: “Look, we’re in this situation because Boris Johnson lied.”
However, Kuenssberg responded by saying “that’s quite a charge”.
Flynn continued: “It’s true, though, because Boris Johnson said his deal was oven ready and he made it out as if there would be no issues and quite obviously there are extreme issues with the protocol.”
'The idea that he hasn't lied - is palpably absurd.'@mrjamesob holds Laura Kuenssberg to account after she behaved in an ‘absolutely reprehensible fashion’ challenging the accusation that Boris Johnson had lied. pic.twitter.com/omxboFAz1Y
— LBC (@LBC) February 22, 2023
Now, LBC host James O’Brien has called out Kuenssberg’s response to Flynn as “reprehensible” because Boris Johnson is on record as having pledged that there would be no border in the Irish Sea and that his deal was “fully compatible” with the Good Friday Agreement.
Speaking on his radio programme O’Brien played the clip of Laura Kuenssberg and Stephen Flynn and said: “Laura Kuenssberg, who now presents the flagship Sunday morning show, behaving in an absolutely reprehensible fashion.
“It’s not a charge. It’s a statement of fact. It’s a simple statement of fact.
“But what I’m doing with Laura Kuenssberg is using her as an example of what’s happened to an entire country. So she’s culpable, of course she is, but she’s not unique.”
He then proceeds to state obvious truths such as “the sun will come up tomorrow” and plays the clip of Kuenssberg replying “that’s quite a charge”.
“That’s Stephen Flynn, an elected parliamentarian, the leader in Westminster of the biggest party in Scotland, describing facts,” he continued. “Describing liars. Describing a liar and describing lies.
“But the idea that you can be the most senior interviewer on the BBC and you challenge someone stating facts about a) Boris Johnson and b) Brexit.
“He [Boris Johnson] said none of the things currently happening would happen.
“He said that checks in the Irish Sea would happen only over his dead body. Well, I’ve got some news for you, there are currently checks on goods making their way into Ireland.
“It’s not a charge, it’s a matter of fact.”
It comes after the BBC apologised for comments made by Jeremy Vine, in which he said there was no UK party “saying we’ve got to get back in” during a discussion of continental relations post-Brexit.
In an apology issued on Tuesday, the BBC confirmed that the SNP did, in fact, support Scotland re-joining the EU.
