Emily Maitlis tore into the government, the BBC and Brexit – and it was beautiful to see
Emily Maitlis’s James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival said almost everything about Brexit that people have been wishing a leading journalist would say for years.
This snippet sets the tone.
No one has ever called out, with such clarity and sheer authority the "glaring omissions" of UK broadcasters who refuse to discuss Brexit ("the obvious economic cause of major change in this country)" as @maitlis just has here in one minute 👏👏
Absolutely this 💯👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/SA4X2tYbgk— Alex Taylor (@AlexTaylorNews) August 24, 2022
“Large sections of both the BBC and government-supporting newspapers appear to go into an automatic crouch position whenever the Brexit issue looms large.”
She tore into the the current government for its smash and grab raid on democracy.
Emily Maitlis – "We are seeing politicians move in directions that are deeply & clearly deleterious to basic democratic government…it's about people in power who are prepared to test the very limits of the constitution to achieve their aims…" pic.twitter.com/PpwumFmSI8
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) August 24, 2022
She went on to call out BBC board member and former Tory spin doctor, Sir Robbie Gibb, for being an active agent of the Conservative Party – citing the Dominic Cummings episode as an occasion when he had most likely influenced the BBC’s ongoing handling of the story.
Her speech received resounding applause in the room – and, metaphorically, on Twitter.
1.
Emily Maitlis calls out the Brexit elephant in the newsroom & in government pic.twitter.com/ezu2BhwAus
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) August 24, 2022
2.
It's a huge deal that Emily Maitlis has spoken out.
The infiltration has been glaringly obvious for years. https://t.co/eo8EYX6xP0
— Elinor Elliot (@ElliotElinor) August 24, 2022
3.
Thank you, @maitlis. Speaking the truth in a time of universal deceit is a revolutionary act…https://t.co/tANZ8fiv7u
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) August 24, 2022
4.
We've kind of known this for a while.
But it still feels like a significant moment, when someone of @maitlis' stature and integrity is willing to say it so bluntly.
Very much accounts for the BBC news brain drain too. https://t.co/PcEOZ0DFkM— Phil Harrison (@MrPMHarrison) August 24, 2022
5.
Emily Maitlis, highlighting the excellent progress we've made towards turning the BBC into a Tory Party propaganda service. https://t.co/FDXof7U1bx
— Parody Boris (@Parody_PM) August 24, 2022
6.
No punches pulled from @maitlis at #Edtvfest https://t.co/9dzMUYMsfY
— Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) August 24, 2022
7.
Just fancy that. https://t.co/H7Cjbb9cmc
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) August 24, 2022
8.
Every single fucking word. https://t.co/ZhknrWOQea
— Jonathan Lis (@jonlis1) August 24, 2022
9.
We knew about the intimidation and infiltration of the BBC, but hearing @maitlis confirm it is still sickening. https://t.co/SRWsrn4Rmh
— Dominic Minghella (@DMinghella) August 24, 2022
10.
What an utter Queen this woman is https://t.co/vsUXDvTOtX
— Siob, Princess of Yorkshire 💙#FBPE #FBR (@Sillyshib) August 24, 2022
11.
At last, @maitlis, whose credentials as a serious journalist are unimpeachable, calls out the media’s terror of reporting the #BrexitDisaster.
Prince Andrew might not be able to sweat, but those with their heads in the Brexit sands of fantasy should be.pic.twitter.com/i0VZGnly1z
— Brendan May (@bmay) August 24, 2022
Former Conservative MP Anna Soubry, who left the party because of its position on Brexit, shared her perception of the situation.
The fight back begins https://t.co/w2BD1wVxeF
— Anna Soubry (@Anna_Soubry) August 24, 2022
We’ll believe it when a current BBC employee speaks up.
You can watch the full lecture – about 45 minutes – here.
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Emily Maitlis just nailed the whole Dominic Cummings saga in 20 seconds flat
Source Alex Taylor Image Screengrab