The BBC have partly upheld a complaint against Europe Editor Katya Adler, for a tweet in which she branded Michael Gove “delusional”. A string of highly critical tweets against the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster kicked off with:
Am not first to comment on this today but below observation by Michael Gove that #coronavirus will focus EU minds on post #Brexit trade deal is delusional. It distracts EU leaders all the more from something that was not top of in-tray even before COVID-19 https://t.co/xOnIoVGtgT
— katya adler (@BBCkatyaadler) April 28, 2020
“The ECU noted that she did not quote him entirely accurately, substituting “will” for his “should”, thus changing a statement”
The ECU went on to admit that this “went beyond the Guidelines’ licence for “professional judgements, rooted in evidence”” and – whilst stating that Adler was within her rights to call Gove “delusional” – upheld the part of the complaint that regarded accuracy. Classic BBC.
