THE LibDems have been blasted as “foolish and ill-informed” over a snipe about the SNP’s position on the BBC.
Alex Cole-Hamilton was accused of viewing “everything through the prism of bitter partisan politics” after he accused the SNP of disliking the corporation.
The LibDem leader will lead a debate in Holyrood on Tuesday, opposing planned Tory attempts to “starve it of funding” in a “cynical attempt to distract public attention from the scandals currently faced by the Boris Johnson”.
He added: “It is motivated by a deep-rooted resentment of the BBC's fact-based reporting. It is precisely because the governments of the day, both SNP and Conservative, don’t like the BBC’s output that we should cherish it.”
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But he came under fire from former BBC journalist and SNP MP John Nicolson, the party’s culture spokesperson, who is a “passionate defender” of public broadcasters.
He said: “As so often Mr Cole Hamilton is saying something foolish and ill-informed. As the Westminster lead on broadcasting, I am a passionate defender of public service broadcasting at both the BBC and Channel 4.
“I led the campaign to support an extended hour-long news service at BBC Scotland.
"‘The Nine’ produces first-rate journalism and scrutiny of both the UK and Scottish Governments. And, along with my SNP colleagues at Westminster and Holyrood we are fighting the privatisation of Channel 4 News.”
Nicolson pointed towards the BBC’s breadth of output across TV, documentaries, radio and Gaelic programming.
He added: “The LibDems see everything through the prism of bitter partisan politics. It’s rarely edifying. And this is yet another example.”
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The BBC employs more than 1200 people in Scotland and is facing serious questions about its future after it was announced the licence fee would be frozen for the next two years.
Its existence is guaranteed until 2027 but there is doubt about whether it will survive after this. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has not confirmed whether the Government has plans on the licence fee's future after then.
A number of SNP representatives are former BBC employees, including Nicolson, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson and Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O’Hara.
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