this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2025
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[–] ambitiousslab@lemmy.ml 18 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

The BBC's response seems to boil down to "we aim to reflect voices in the UK proportionally to current voting intention".

I don't think that should be their goal, though. I want them to aggressively hold anyone with, or who wants power, to account. Then, when complaints inevitably come from the right, they could justifiably say "our goal is to aggressively challenge everyone equally", and point to examples of them holding the other parties to account too.

I think Private Eye is an example of this done well - they look for corruption or hypocrisy, and wherever they can find it, they challenge it.

Was the BBC ever like that? - much more aggressive and towards anyone in power? - or am I just looking back with rose tinted glasses?

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 1 points 6 hours ago

The BBC got massive flak when they challenged the case for invading Iraq, and the fallout from the death of David Kelly. They’ve never fully recovered.

[–] Lastangel@feddit.uk 7 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

we aim to reflect voices in the UK proportionally to current voting intention

Was there a national poll that I don't recall? Because the last one I was aware of, a majority of people voted Labour, and the BBC have never, ever been pro-labour. Maybe they're claiming that tons of people intended to vote for Farage and co but couldn't figure out how ballots work, which is remotely credible, but it would take some serious research to back that up so I don't think that's it.

How on earth are they claiming to know people's voting intentions in the first place, let alone the rather groundbreaking idea that the election was wrong.

This has a worrying air of the Trump style, post-truth 'any official, scientific, pro-equality and / or leftie information is fake news' that we saw before trump was elected. I remember being amazed that a public figure could so blatantly, confidently lie about important constitutional processes and not be arrested for - Idk but if fraud, libel, aiding and abetting, misrepresentation etc are crimes, then misleading an entire country to disenfranchise them and mis-sell a political position must be quite serious.

We are all legally obliged to pay the BBC if we want to watch live news. That is quasi-governmental, and hella powerful. If I want to watch live TV in this country and don't want to pay to fund a corporation that's flagrantly misrepresenting the existence/ validity of an actual national election, I kinda feel there should be more recourse than 'Dear Sir / Madam, we have received your complaint and will take it on board if and when we ever have the slightest reason to'.

The BBC are telling the world that most people in the UK 'intend' to vote for Farage. That is not just untrue, or biased, or impossible for them to know. It's such an absurd claim that I think the scariest part is the fact that they are getting away with it.

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 1 points 6 hours ago

Reform lead 12 councils, and have 881 councillors. Historically, it was the biggest party in the European Parliament after the 2019 election. It’s wishful thinking to carry on as if they’re a negligible factor.

[–] JustARaccoon@lemmy.world 4 points 12 hours ago

How are people meant to have a good view of the political landscape and show intent to vote for a different party when said parties don't get any coverage? Lol what a joke