THE BBC is under fire for having a “Labour-majority panel” for Debate Night on the eve of a crucial by-election.
The BBC hosted a “Glasgow Special” episode of the show on Wednesday night, featuring the SNP’s Glasgow Council leader Susan Aitken, Scottish Tory MSP Annie Wells, artist David Eustace as well as both Scottish Labour MSP Paul Sweeney and Labour peer Willie Haughey.
We previously reported on SNP and Scottish Greens anger over the inclusion of two Scottish Labour politicians, especially given it came ahead of yesterday’s Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election – which Labour’s Davy Russell ended up winning in a shock result, beating the SNP by just over 600 votes.
The Scottish Greens have also since sent a formal complaint to the BBC saying they should have been represented considering their high support in Glasgow.
But now, The National can reveal that Eustace also appears to be a Scottish Labour supporter, meaning three of the five panellists on the BBC show backed the party.
The photographer and former chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University attended Scottish Labour’s Winter Gala last year, according to his LinkedIn.
In response to Anas Sarwar’s post thanking those who attended, Eustace responded “great night in many ways” – both by resharing the Scottish Labour leader’s post and in a separate comment in response.
He has also interacted with Sarwar several further times in the past few months on the social media platform, including praising the Scottish Labour leader's Sunday Times article calling for Donald Trump's Scottish ties to be used to Scotland’s advantage.
In a post announcing Ian Murray as Scottish Secretary after last year’s General Election, Eustace also signalled his support, commenting: “I doubt few work harder. Much respect and time for this man.”
The connection has sparked a further BBC impartiality row, with an SNP source telling The National that the panel makeup was “ludicrous” and calling for action to be taken.
"It's ludicrous that the BBC would include three Labour supporting panellists,” they said.
“The BBC must make clear what steps it will take to rectify this."
The Greens have also again hit out at the BBC, with Glasgow councillor Anthony Carroll telling The National that the BBC must review its procedures.
“To have two Labour representatives on a supposedly politically representative panel is one thing, but to also have another who is certainly at least supportive of Anas Sarwar and his vision narrows the spectrum of voices speaking about Glasgow, to the city’s detriment," he said.
"With parties like Reform being the darling of many partisan media outlets, its incumbent our public broadcaster to give fair hearings of parties who do well in elections, yet don’t have half of Fleet Street on speed-dial.
"The BBC must review their balancing procedures for shows like Debate Night to make sure the people whose futures they seek to debate see the people they vote for represented on those panels.”
He added: "It's sad that audiences – on the eve of the Hamilton by-election – couldn’t hear Green ideas on tackling the housing emergency through rent controls, banning winter evictions, or ramping up more social and affordable homes being built. Or our plans to get investment back for our communities who’ve been left behind by too many soft touch approaches by successive Governments on the rich, leading to growing wealth inequality in Scotland."
The BBC and Eustace have been approached for comment.
