Identifying the expert

As I have blogged on numerous previous occasions; the BBC like to identify a representative of a free-market think-tank or a journalist from The Telegraph as right-of-centre or right-wing, whilst representatives of left-wing think-tanks or journalists from The Guardian are never described as such. Likewise Trade Union leaders invited on to the BBC to voice their opposition to government policies are never described as funders of the Labour party. Similarly local authorities opposing the Coalition government's policies do not have their political allegiances described, they are just treated as impartial observers.

The fuss today has been about Dame Elisabeth Hoodless's interviews on the BBC this morning. She was given much airspace to attack the government but oddly was never described as a former long-term Labour Party member and former Labour councillor for Islington who only quit the party shortly before Tony Blair stood down as its leader in 2007. Would this not have been information that the BBC's listening public deserved to know?

For more on this story read Benedict Brogan in The Telegraph on BBC bias and Alex Masterley re how Dame Hoodless's 'charity' is funded...