The BBC want Ken Livingstone to win the London Mayoral election. In fact regardless of who was standing for the Labour party and the Conservative party they would want the Labour party candidate to win; that much is obvious. So the comparison of the BBC's profile pages for Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson holds few surprises.
Ken Livingstone's profile does not ignore some of the criticisms of Ken Livingstone but these criticisms are downplayed with lines like 'said by opponents to be one of the "loony left".' The whole tax avoidance matter is described in this one short line:
There is also not a word about the controversy over Ken Livingstone's associations with at least one Islamist preacher whose anti-Semitic and homophobic comments are apparently acceptable to the prospective London Mayor and the BBC. Nor is there any mention of his controversial work for the Iranian Press TV. Maybe Ken's decision to court the London Muslim vote has struck a chord with the BBC.
Boris Jonson's profile is less positive in tone. From the opening description of him as 'the gaffe-prone former MP, journalist and TV show host.' the tone is set. Almost every one of his achievements is balanced with a criticism. The line 'Thought of as one of the most colourful politicians, the question is whether Londoners will be convinced by his record as mayor and re-elect him for a second term.' is nicely placed as is ' is followed by a long list of his 'gaffes' with no defence given. The article finishes with the thought that 'His career has proved no less colourful' followed by a long list of his career issues.
So for the BBC Boris Johnson's gaffes and career issues are of great importance but Ken Livingstone's association with less than savoury characters repugnant foreign regimes do not even warrant a mention.
The BBC claim to have impartiality on their genes; I think not.
Ken Livingstone's profile does not ignore some of the criticisms of Ken Livingstone but these criticisms are downplayed with lines like 'said by opponents to be one of the "loony left".' The whole tax avoidance matter is described in this one short line:
'In recent weeks he's come under attack for his tax affairs. Livingstone has said the allegations that he avoided tax are "smears"'No analysis of whether the claims or Ken are correct.
There is also not a word about the controversy over Ken Livingstone's associations with at least one Islamist preacher whose anti-Semitic and homophobic comments are apparently acceptable to the prospective London Mayor and the BBC. Nor is there any mention of his controversial work for the Iranian Press TV. Maybe Ken's decision to court the London Muslim vote has struck a chord with the BBC.
Boris Jonson's profile is less positive in tone. From the opening description of him as 'the gaffe-prone former MP, journalist and TV show host.' the tone is set. Almost every one of his achievements is balanced with a criticism. The line 'Thought of as one of the most colourful politicians, the question is whether Londoners will be convinced by his record as mayor and re-elect him for a second term.' is nicely placed as is ' is followed by a long list of his 'gaffes' with no defence given. The article finishes with the thought that 'His career has proved no less colourful' followed by a long list of his career issues.
So for the BBC Boris Johnson's gaffes and career issues are of great importance but Ken Livingstone's association with less than savoury characters repugnant foreign regimes do not even warrant a mention.
The BBC claim to have impartiality on their genes; I think not.
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