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A government minister has hit out at a BBC satirical show for being “completely biased” in the latest allegation from the Conservatives about the corporation’s impartiality.

Huw Merriman also appears to have mixed up Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan with BBC social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan when challenged to give examples of unbalanced reporting.

The transport minister’s comments came after Downing Street was forced to deny it is pursuing an agenda against the BBC, following a “culture wars” row over its impartiality reforms.

On Monday, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer told Sky News the BBC has “on occasion been biased”, but then struggled to give examples.

Mr Merriman, asked if he agreed with his colleague, told Sky News that an episode of BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz last Friday had struck him as “completely biased”.

Transport minister Huw Merriman

“I was driving from my constituency office to home for 10 minutes and all I heard – and it wasn’t satirical – was just diatribe against the Conservatives, not the government,” he said.

“I did listen to it and think, for goodness sake, where is the balance in that?

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“So, yes, I’m afraid to say, despite the fact I’ve always been a big supporter of the BBC, that struck me as completely biased.”

When it was put to him that this is a comedy show, Mr Merriman said it did not strike him as particularly satirical and challenged any viewer to listen to it and make up their own mind.

He went on to criticise the BBC’s coverage of universal credit, which he worked on during his time at the Department for Work and Pensions.

“There was an individual there who would report on it, Neil Buchanan, who I always felt gave one side of the story and not the other side, which was the government side.”

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Minister challenged over ‘BBC bias’ claim

Neil Buchanan hosted the children’s TV show Art Attack between 1990 and 2007.

Mr Merriman may have been mixing him up with Michael Buchanan, a social affairs correspondent at the BBC.

The National Union of Journalists accused him of “scraping the barrel” and said it was “shameful” to single out individual journalists for criticism.

The debate on BBC impartiality has been brought to the fore by a series of reforms the government wants it to adopt.

As part of mid-term review into the corporation’s Royal Charter, ministers want to give Ofcom, the media watchdog, more powers to investigate the BBC and a new legal responsibility to review more of the BBC’s complaints decisions.

Ms Frazer said the BBC “needs to adapt” to the reforms or risk “losing the trust of the audience it relies on”.

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But when challenged to give an example of bias she was unable to provide one beyond the BBC reporting of an attack on a hospital in Gaza which was initially attributed to Israel but which Western intelligence later concluded was the result of a misfiring Hamas rocket.

When it was put to her that a mistake is not the same as bias, she went on to say there is a “perception among the public the BBC is biased” and “perceptions are important”.

The BBC said “no other organisation takes its commitment to impartiality more seriously”.

Labour branded her the “latest secretary of state for culture wars” and accused her of using the BBC “as a punching bag”.

Number 10 was later forced to deny it was pursuing an agenda against the BBC.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman, asked if this was the case, responded: “No. This is rightly about ensuring the BBC is able to continue to thrive long into the future.”

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Trump reignites row with ‘nasty’ Sadiq Khan as Starmer responds

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Trump reignites row with 'nasty' Sadiq Khan as Starmer responds

Donald Trump has reignited his row with London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan after calling him a “nasty person” who has done “a terrible job”.

During an hour-long news conference with Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland, the US president hit out at the Labour mayor, who has responded with his own snipey remarks.

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Asked if he would visit London during his state visit in September, Mr Trump said: “I will, I’m not a fan of your mayor, I think he’s done a terrible job.

“A nasty person, I think.”

The prime minister then interrupted and said: “He’s a friend of mine.”

But the president added: “I think he’s done a terrible job but I will certainly visit London, I hope so.”

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Sir Sadiq’s spokesperson then released a statement saying: “Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.

“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer.

“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”

The Right Honourable Sir Sadiq Khan after receiving the Honour of Knighthood during an Investiture ceremony.
Pic: PA
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Sir Sadiq Khan was knighted in June. Pic: PA

They noted that Sir Sadiq has won three mayoral elections, including when Mr Trump lost the US election in 2020.

This is not the first time Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq have locked horns.

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Prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer (right) and Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan lays a wreath at the 7/7 Memorial, in Hyde Park, London, to mark
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The PM told Mr Trump that Sir Sadiq is a friend of his – seen here laying wreaths for the anniversary of the 7/7 bombings. Pic: PA

During his first presidential term, Mr Trump called the London mayor a “stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London”.

Sir Sadiq then described Mr Trump as a “poster boy for racists”.

And in November 2024, after Mr Trump won his second term, Sir Sadiq said many Londoners would be “fearful” about what it would “mean for democracy”.

However, as Sir Keir tried to show diplomacy with Mr Trump after becoming PM, Sir Sadiq said he “wanted to work closely with the American president” ahead of his inauguration in January.

The London mayor said as somebody “who believes in democracy, and voting and elections, we should recognise the fact that Donald Trump is the elected president of the United States”.

But he added: “Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this president is different from the last time he was president.”

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Trump’s Truth Social Bitcoin ETF among multiple crypto funds delayed by SEC

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Trump’s Truth Social Bitcoin ETF among multiple crypto funds delayed by SEC

Trump’s Truth Social Bitcoin ETF among multiple crypto funds delayed by SEC

The SEC delayed decisions on the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF and Grayscale’s Solana Trust, extending review periods as the US Congress moves with crypto regulation.

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Anti-CBDC bill could curb Fed’s power over digital dollar, sponsor says

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Anti-CBDC bill could curb Fed’s power over digital dollar, sponsor says

Anti-CBDC bill could curb Fed’s power over digital dollar, sponsor says

The US House of Representatives will be in recess for the month of August, but the Senate still has a week of business to address two crypto bills before breaking.

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