BBC journalist tries to excuse Sturgeon who felt like her 'critics haven't given her enough credit'

BBC journalist tries to excuse Sturgeon who felt like her 'critics haven't given her enough credit'

WATCH: Nicola Sturgeon faced an interrogation as part of the Covid inquiry

GB News
George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 31/01/2024

- 20:02

The former First Minister was answering questions at the Covid Inquiry

A BBC journalist has come under fire for 'fawning' over Nicola Sturgeon.

BBC Scotland political correspondent Kirsten Campbell had written analysis on the former first minister's testimony at the Covid Inquiry.


In her analysis, Campbell was commentating on the inquiry, saying that Sturgeon's displays of emotion gave "a real insight" into the emotional state of the former first minister.

However, the comments were met with backlash, with one user calling it "drivel."

BBC Scotland sign

The BBC has come under fire from both sides for claims of impartiality

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The analysis read: "It's rare for Nicola Sturgeon to lose her composure in public. The emotion on display gives a real insight into the pressures she felt and still feels about the Covid pandemic.

"She admits to feeling a bit overwhelmed when the pandemic hit. The tears began to flow when she confessed that there had been times she wished she hadn’t been first minister at that stage.

"I believe she feels insulted by the suggestion that she viewed the pandemic as a political opportunity, when she says she saw it as a threat, a risk, a catastrophe.

"She insists she was just doing her job, but there is a sense that she wonders if her critics have given her enough credit for how challenging a job it was."

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Nicola Sturgeon

The former First Minister was appearing at the Covid Inquiry

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The analysis was met with backlash on social media, with some accusing BBC Scotland of a pro-Sturgeon bias.

One person wrote: "Lord what fawning dribble from the BBC."

A second said: "Bloody hell! What utter cringe", while a third added: "The hypocrisy is astounding."

A BBC spokesperson told GB News: "The BBC regularly receives feedback from social media users. We are confident all our reporting of the UK Covid Inquiry is in line with our editorial guidelines."

However, the BBC has also come under fire from the other side after one of its presenters said that Nicola Sturgeon is not a "human being."

\u200bThe BBC Scotland studio in Glasgow

The BBC Scotland studio in Glasgow

Getty

Presenter Kaye Adams was interviewing National columnist Kelly Given about Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid WhatsApps, which have been handed to the inquiry despite the former first minister herself not retaining any.

Given said: "Nicola Sturgeon has submitted evidence to this inquiry, she’s submitted her informal messaging, and I think we need to take that at face value, she’s done that.

"Why are we holding these people to account as if they’re not human beings? Nicola Sturgeon got a new phone or deleted her messages or whatever..."

Here, Adams cut in to say: "Because in this instance they’re not human beings, they’re politicians." To which Given responded: "Politicians are human beings."

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