THE BBC has been accused of treating the voices of the SNP and their Scottish voters as if they “don’t matter” after cutting away before the party could have a say in today’s Brexit debate.
BBC News 24 was showing the House of Commons live after Michael Gove’s update on the negotiations with the EU.
Gove had criticised the European Union’s team and blamed the talks’ failure on them, despite the EU’s chief negotiator today insisting his team was ready for further intensive talks.
Former prime minister Theresa May had then noted that the Government seemed resigned to the prospect of a No-Deal Brexit, but stressed that No-Deal was not good enough for the UK’s security.
READ MORE: WATCH: Pete Wishart's Brexit Commons debate speech the BBC cut off
May said that such an exit would mean the UK had no access to the criminal databases needed to “keep us safe”.
Although Gove accepted that May made an important point, he again blamed the EU. He said the UK had been asked to accept the jurisdictions of the European Court of Justice in order to maintain access to those databases, something the UK “cannot” do.
Gove claimed that leaving the EU would allow the UK to keep stronger borders than it had previously through a “variety of methods open to us”. He did not say what those methods were.
May was visibly dismissive of Gove’s answer - scowling and mouthing “What?” to a colleague in a short clip which has now gone viral on social media. All of this was shown on the BBC.
Theresa May’s reaction to Michael Gove speaks for the nation 👇🏿pic.twitter.com/hB5YIJycCu
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) October 19, 2020
Next in the proceedings, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, said: “Right, we’ve now got the SNP’s spokesperson Pete Wishart.”
Wishart begins: “And thank you very much Mr Speaker. So, here we go the …”
No more can be heard from the SNP’s longest-serving MP, as BBC News cut away from the Houses of Parliament to their presenter, who recaps what Gove had said before promising “more analysis” later.
Speaking to The National about the BBC’s editorial decision, Wishart said it was “disappointing but predictable”.
READ MORE: Pete Wishart slams 'disaster Toryism' as UK heads for No-Deal Brexit
He said: "It is really disappointing but quite predictable that every time the Speaker says ‘we now go over to the SNP’ we’re cut off by the BBC.
“It’s as if our voices simply don’t matter. The SNP is the third party in Westminster representing over 80% of Scotland’s constituencies.
“It’s time the BBC showed the people of Scotland some respect and let them also hear the voices of those who represent them."
The BBC has been approached for comment.
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