YP Letters: BBC under fire for Laura Kuenssberg's '˜offensive' interview with Theresa May

From: Mrs Trees Fewster-Verhaar, Gomersal.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg is under fire for her questioning of Theresa May over Brexit.BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg is under fire for her questioning of Theresa May over Brexit.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg is under fire for her questioning of Theresa May over Brexit.

MANY people are complaining in your letters page about Laura Kuenssberg.

I actually complained to the BBC online and I got this bland response: “I understand you have found Laura Kuenssberg as rude and aggressive when conducting interviews, particularly when interviewing the Prime Minister.

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“Naturally we regret when any member of our audience is unhappy with any aspect of what we do.

“We don’t engage any presenter unless we believe they’re competent and can meet the specific demands required of them.

“As BBC’s political editor, a fundamental part of Laura Kuenssberg’s role is to give our audience an informed and impartial analysis of key political events, using her experience and judgement.

“We believe that her reporting since the election has been entirely consistent with this.”

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Perhaps if more people complain to the BBC, they might have to take notice.

From: David Downs, Sandal, Wakefield.

I TOTALLY agree with the letters I have read regarding the offensive interviewing techniques of Laura Kuenssberg (The Yorkshire Post, February 10).

Nick Robinson and John Humphries can put very difficult questions and get better responses from our politicians by adopting a more impartial approach.

Furthermore, why does she insist on screeching in crowds and across Downing Street, questions that she knows will not get a response? Does she like to hear the sound of her on voice on television or does she suffer from an inferiority complex?

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

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HOW I agree with your correspondent Judith Hubbard about the rude way in which Laura Kuenssberg interviewed our Prime Minister in China (The Yorkshire Post, January 6).

Fortunately Mrs May is far too savvy to let it get to her and refused to be intimidated.

Ms Kuenssberg is symptomatic of the whole attitude of the BBC towards the Brexit decision.

They try on every news bulletin to bring the Brexit process down in the most unhelpful way.

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Along with the governor of the Bank of England, they refuse to admit that their predictions may be wrong.

From: Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley.

I AM a regular viewer of BBC late Thursday evening TV show This Week when Michael Portillo is usually on the sofa, but how utterly appalling to see that limelight-seeking Remain supporter Anna Soubry MP in his place.

What else could we expect from the Remain supporting BBC? I immediately switched channels to watch Sky News and will do so every time the MP for Broxtowe gets on screen.

From: Keith Brooks, Hedley Crescent, Wakefield.

I HAVE never been a fan of Lord Tebbit but his remark that the BBC has become a supporter of the EU was spot on. I want to hear news, not opinion.

From: Jarvis Browning, Main Street, Fadmoor, York.

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SORRY, but I, too, find Laura Kuenssberg arrogant in line with Nicholas Witchell, the BBC Royal Correspondent.

Why no family
viewing now?

From: Mrs P Frankland, Hull Road, Dunnington.

I AGREE with Barry Foster (The Yorkshire Post, February 3) – TV now is violence, bad language and confrontational. Every drama with obligatory warning of such prior to the show is quite alarming. What has happened to a good family show?

All the soaps are the same, a copy of each other! The game shows educate and inform as do wildlife, documentary and railway programmes.

Schools are not allowed to discipline children. PC (political correctness) has become OTT. We need some balance back into society where parents take back control.

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I deplore dropping of standards with people drinking out of juice cartons and plastic with bottles on the table all depicted on TV.

Yes, television has a lot for which to answer.

Rail failures hit franchise

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

I AGREED with much of what Tom Richmond had to say ‘Questions are mounting up for Grayling’ (The Yorkshire Post, February 7).

Whilst I hold no sort of torch for any of the parties to this latest East Coast debacle, as far as I can see one particular point needs to be made more clearly.

When this latest franchise bid was made in 2014 it was based on the upgrade of power supplies and other infrastructure improvements that would allow a more frequent East Coast service.

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However, it was the serious contractual failure on the part of the Department for Transport and Network Rail to institute these improvements as promised that helped the franchise to fail.

Defending MP

From: Mrs EH Bell, Newland Avenue, Driffield.

IN response to your contributor Peter Hyde’s complaint about our local MP, I wish he could have heard a talk given by Sir Greg Knight to our Ladies Luncheon Club in the town.

If he had done so, he would have discovered just how much good is actually done by our MP, much more than speaking in the House of Commons, I venture to say.

Dignity plea

From: J W Buckley, Aketon, Pontefract.

WHAT an excellent article by Bishop of Leeds Nick Baines ‘Dignity should define Brexit language’ (The Yorkshire Post, February 1). Please print this article again; in larger print and with greater line spacing.