BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg was slammed by viewers for “bias” in a fiery interview with Robert Jenrick. Reform UK’s economics spokesman appeared on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, where he discussed allegations that party leader Nigel Farage received financial benefits from a convicted criminal in the year before he entered Parliament.
However, viewers felt he took over the interview in an “embarrassing” twist and slammed the journalist for her handling of it. One said: “Stop letting Jenrick bang on about anything other than the questions asked, weak interview by BBC again, far too much time allowed on him spouting propaganda, it’s so biased and shameful.” Another added: “Jesus, #bbclaurak, stop letting Robert Jenrick take over your interview. It’s weak, frustrating and embarrassing. Do your job.”
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A third said: “Robert Jenrick currently interviewing Laura Kuenssberg on @BBCNews. She’s a blessed disgrace. Why not give him a massage while you’re at it, Laura?”
A fourth said: “Jenrick wheeled out on @bbclaurak to defend Farage … a pathetic interview from LK, no push, and she allows him to make a party political broadcast on behalf of Reform. Laura Kuenssberg is a poor journalist.”
A fifth fumed: “Dear God Robert Jenrick walked all over Laura Kuenssberg and she let him – weak, weak, weak. She has passed her sell-by date.”
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However, some viewers felt she was doing a good job. “Robert Jenrick also dying on his arse on #BBCLauraK,” said one.
During the car-crash interview, Kuenssberg struggled to get a word in as Mr Jenrick frequently turned the questions back on her.
He also accused her of not divulging the full facts as she asked him about reports Nigel Farage failed to declare benefits provided by an ally, George Cottrell, who was once convicted of fraud in the US. Among the claims were that Mr Farage used a property rented by Cottrell near Buckingham Palace.
She pointed out that MPs should declare benefits eceived in the 12 months before their election to Parliament, but he shot back: “You have omitted the second half of the rule, which is that you don’t have to declare things where they’re purely personal.
“The allegation that you put to me is that Nigel Farage, maybe a couple of times, stayed in the home of a personal friend. Nigel Farage is allowed to have friends as a politician. You’re allowed to stay at a friend’s house.
“Certainly remember Nigel was not an elected politician, he was, if you like, an ex-politician at the time, he was somebody in the private world who was not even considering standing for Parliament. He’d ruled it out, and this was a friendship that he had with someone who was, who was helping him. So, I honestly don’t see what the story is here.”
