Brutal analysis of Laura Kuenssberg’s BBC career by former colleague

Laura Kuenssberg to step down as BBC political editor

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Patrick Howse, former BBC reporter, praised outgoing Laura Kuenssberg for being an “outstanding” “confident” and “ambitious” journalist but said she failed to tell her audience when they were being “lied to” by the Leave side in the Brexit referendum. Mr Howse, who now contributes for Byline Times and describes himself as an “EU citizen”, described Kuenssberg’s tenure as BBC Political Editor as a “catastrophe” as he pinned the blame on the BBC.

He criticised Kuenssberg’s coverage during the EU referendum and said she should have taken a “step back and tell the audience when they were being lied to”.

He posted on Twitter: ”Some thoughts on Laura Kuenssberg’s tenure as BBC Political Editor (and why it was such a catastrophe, and why it wasn’t really her fault).

“LK is an outstanding continuous news journalist. She loves being on air, she loves being first with a story, and she is very good at ‘winging it’.

“That’s why she was chosen for the job, and that’s why none of the following is on her – it’s on BBC management.

“I saw LK in action close up when I worked for the BBC in Westminster for a year either side of the 2010 general election.

“She was confident, ambitious, and really good at her job – which at that time as to supply lives for the News Channel… on every development about whatever was happening in the Westminster bubble that day.

“She did so fluently and energetically. Sometimes it was difficult to get her off the air. She’s held in very high regard by her colleagues.

“She was picked because of the qualities I’ve outlined above. Unfortunately, those were not the qualities the BBC’s management should have been looking for to fill that post at that time.

“What they actually needed was someone who could take a step back and tell the audience when we were all being lied to. That was something neither the BBC nor LK ever fully recognized. (sic)

“Vote Leave made lying a central part of its strategy during the Brexit Referendum, and the BBC’s response was to just try to “balance” the lies with stuff the other side said. As a result hardly anyone among the audience fully understood the issues involved….”

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Kuenssberg will replace Andrew Marr as the host of BBC One’s flagship Sunday morning politics show after she announced her decision to step down as BBC Political Editor in December.

Reacting to the news, she said: “I couldn’t be more delighted,” the journalist said in a statement.

“For decades Sunday morning has been the moment to explore the events that shape us and to challenge and listen to our politicians.”It’s an honour to take the chair for that conversation in the 2020s.”

Express.co.uk has contacted the BBC for comment.

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