Brexit bias at the BBC? We have no duty to balance reports, claims Nick Robinson

Although Nick Robinson once accused the Corporation of anti-Corbyn bias, he takes a different approach when it comes to allegations of Brexit bias. After 70 Eurosceptic MPs signed a letter accusing the BBC of a biased and ‘pessimistic’ view (and another 80 Remain MPs sent a letter asking the BBC to stay strong), the former BBC political editor has addressed the issue in an article for the Radio Times.

Rather than saying there is no bias, Robinson has — curiously — opted for a different approach. He says the BBC has no duty to be balanced as now that the referendum is out of the way, the corporation is no longer obliged to balance the two sides of the argument:

‘The referendum is over. The duty we broadcasters had to “broadly balance” the views of the two sides is at an end. Why? Because there are no longer two sides, two campaigns, two rival sets of spokespeople reading out those focus-grouped slogans.