On the Today Programme’s staple 08:10 slot this morning, just before speaking to the Home Secretary, the BBC interviewed a Syrian refugee, who slammed the Tories for their new policy of taking more refugees directly from affected countries, and clamping down on  illegal  migration. Just one problem with the five minute interview – not once did the BBC mention refugee Hassan Akkad is a Labour Party member…

Listeners were left with the impression of an ordinary person up against the Home Secretary – not a political activist and Labour Party figure up against the Home Secretary. It was not long before Akkad – who himself arrived in the UK on a fake passport before successfully claiming asylum – launched in to specifically party political attack, saying:

“Actually the Tories have voted down an amendment in October last year that would guarantee child refugees would be granted asylum and reunited with their families after Brexit. The Government voted down that amendment.”

Akkad is a prolific blue-tick tweeting Labour activist, who has campaigned online for Sadiq Khan and against the Tories. He regularly retweets Labour MPs, and boasted of his Labour Party membership. Which of course is all fine – it’s the BBC’s fault for not informing their audience…