When does red meat become a dead cat — changing the subject in a dramatic way to divert attention? When the Tories resort to attacking the BBC.
It is all part of a communications strategy to distract from Downing Street lockdown parties and to roll the pitch ahead of Sue Gray’s inquiry. It is unlikely to work.
Like any institution, the BBC has its issues and inconsistencies, but it remains an outstanding organisation and a beacon of excellence that shows off Britain to the world.
The Culture Secretary’s attack is misdirection strategy 101. Indeed, if the Tories’ approval rating were anywhere near approaching that of the BBC’s, it would not be considering removing its leader and instead be on course for a three-figure majority at the next election.
The Government’s decision to attack the BBC at its own moment of crisis merely reveals the vacuum where its policies should lie — and the British people are wise to it.
Soaring fuel bills, an ever-rising tax burden, the path to net-zero — these are the issues that should be igniting the Government, not a reheated culture war.
A Covid resignation ...
It is a tale with a twist. A leader, caught breaking Covid-19 laws, resigns. António Horta-Osório, chairman of Credit Suisse, has quit with immediate effect following an internal investigation in which he was found to have breached pandemic quarantine regulations last year.
If this happens in the corporate world, many readers — perhaps even Conservative backbenchers — may have cause to wonder why it so rarely occurs in the political.
