The second story on the BBC News website this morning had the headline “Problems Grow at UK Ports With Backlogs and Delays” accompanied by a picture of trucks in long queues. This is what media studies students would describe as “fake news” from the BBC.
The picture was taken by Andrew Aitchison. It shows long lines of lorries lining up at the frontier control barriers for departure inside the Eastern Dock of the Port of Dover where the cross channel port is situated with ferries departing to go to Calais. The only problem is that it was taken four months ago on the 29th of September 2020 when ferry crossings were disrupted by strike action in French ports. Not today, nothing to do with the new trade deal, inexcusably misleading BBC news consumers.
If you won’t take Brexit supporting Guido’s word for it, why not take a look elsewhere on the same website at BBC Reality Check (published today) filed by the BBC’s Simon Jones in Dover:
In many ways, it’s been business as usual at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel. A steady stream of lorries has been boarding ferries and trains to France.
So why use a picture of lorries backed up?
UPDATE: The BBC has since made some not-so-subtle changes to the article. Time for a game of spot the difference:
Along with significant changes to the text of the article, the image and the headline, one other thing – or, rather, name – has vanished in the last hour. Can Guido’s readers spot it?
