BBC Radio Scotland has sparked an angry backlash from listeners for giving airtime to a coronavirus sceptic and anti-vaccination campaigner.
It comes after demonstrations were held in Edinburgh and Glasgow over the weekend to protest the use of masks to suppress Covid-19. Hundreds of people took part in the “Saving Scotland” event outside Holyrood Parliament on Saturday, with a smaller-scale event staged the following day in Glasgow.
One of the speakers at the Glasgow demonstration was interviewed today on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland (GMS) breakfast radio show, prompting outrage.
Kevin Corbett, a former nurse, has previously claimed there is no scientific proof of coronavirus. He has also compared leaders who want to make vaccines mandatory to Nazis.
looks like Hitler from what he's saying - can't see any moustache through the face nappy@hayden01612929 https://t.co/EoUph1Fo1K pic.twitter.com/SUqPSS48Ll
— Dr Kevin Corbett MSc PhD (@KPCResearch) August 22, 2020
READ MORE: Hundreds take part in Edinburgh protest against coronavirus restrictions
He told GMS that governments across the world are misleading people and “demanding conformity”, claiming that information provided by Holyrood about the virus is “full of holes” and represents a “fake narrative”.
He also insisted there is no good scientific evidence to suggest that wearing masks is an effective way to suppress viruses.
His claims were rubbished by public health expert Linda Bauld, who told GMS: “It’s important that at this time when we’re faced with such a big crisis that we have trust in government and that there are consistent messages – and their have been in my view from the Scottish Government.”
She said it was essential to combat the spread of misinformation, adding: “Unfortunately some of the things [Corbett] was saying there, while he absolutely has the right to express those views, are really not the case.”
Bauld gave the example of the comments about face coverings: “[Corbett]’s right that the evidence has changed, but saying that because you don’t have a randomised control trial you wouldn’t introduce a public health measure is a bit like saying we need a randomised control trial to show that parachutes work when we jump out of a plane. We don’t have any evidence like that but we have very good quality studies. So we know face coverings will make a difference and globally that is more widely accepted.”
READ MORE: Alliance for Unity candidate claims Scottish Government is 'inflating' Covid-19 cases
She continued: “The other thing that concerns me about the protests over the weekend is that looking at some of the coverage and views expressed by people at the protest who were very strongly against vaccines. From a scientific perspective that’s a very worrying thing to be advocating – that if we get a vaccine for Covid-19 that people shouldn’t take it or encourage others to take it.”
The BBC’s decision to give Corbett airtime was condemned by listeners on social media.
Former MSP Malcolm Chisholm asked: “Why is Good Morning Scotland giving main 7.10 slot to an ignorant anti-social distancing anti-masking anti-vaccine protestor?”
He added: “Admittedly followed immediately by the wonderful @LindaBauld putting him right but obsession with balance inappropriate here especially with lives at stake.”
Why is Good Morning Scotland giving main 7.10 slot to an ignorant anti-social distancing anti-masking anti-vaccine protestor?Admittedly followed immediately by the wonderful @LindaBauld putting him right but obsession with balance inappropriate here especially with lives at stake
— Malcolm Chisholm (@MalcolmChishol1) September 7, 2020
Journalist Graeme Murray wrote: “Couldn’t believe he was even given a platform. Astonished as the number of positive cases begins to rise.”
BBC Scotland said the inclusion of an anti-vaxxer was justified since health officials were also interviewed.
A spokesperson told The National: “Like many media outlets we aim to include a range of perspectives during our coverage of the pandemic.
“On Good Morning Scotland today we also included views on the weekend’s protest from Jason Leitch, the national clinical director, and Linda Bauld, from the University of Edinburgh.”
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