Back in August Guido asked the BBC why its Verify project was producing content so sluggishly and whether there had been cuts to staff. He was told it is “completely untrue to say that there have been cuts to Verify… It’s business as usual.” True to say that – nothing has changed…
Guido’s in house Verify service analysed editorial content produced by BBC Verify and found that in the last five days a total of zero articles have been produced. Total staff: 63. Total salary bill to the taxpayer: £3.4 million…
Considering that BBC Verify has only produced 14 articles in May so far Guido Verify analysis shows that each staff member is effectively being paid £281.67 per article produced so far this month. Nice work if you can get it…
In Henry Mance’s piece today for the FT, lunching with Nigel Farage:
“Splendido!” Farage says, when the drinks arrive; I suppose it’s a step to European reconciliation. We clink glasses, and he lights the first of two back-to-back Benson & Hedges. A few minutes later, we’re back downstairs. “Are you drinking? Good.” He orders a glass of Sauvignon blanc for each of us — not a bottle, “because it’s Lent” — followed by a bottle of claret, to have with our meal. They say Farage drinks less than he used to. They say a lot of things.”