Given that Rachel Johnson is the sister of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the BBC has responded to criticism over her participation on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.
On the same day that sources said Mr. Johnson chose BBC chair Richard Sharp weeks after facilitating the ex-£800,000 PM’s loan, Johnson appeared on Kuenssberg’s show on Sunday, January 29.
Mr Johnson’s sister joined former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and Tesco CEO John Allan on the panel.
Viewers were perplexed by the panellists’ selection, with one critic writing, ‘Who chose this panel? You might have had the Chuckle Brothers on.’
Another person inquired as to why there was “virtually no representation from the left on the Laura Kuenssberg programme panel?”
Many more felt the same way and protested to the BBC.
After receiving more than 100 complaints, the broadcaster is required to react and clarify: ‘Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg is a political programme that seeks to scrutinise policy and hold politicians on all sides accountable.
‘It includes a panel of three which changes each week and which enables the programme to introduce a wide range of views, including from people with backgrounds in business and civil society, as well as politics.
‘On this occasion the credentials of all three panellists were made clear to the audience, including Rachel Johnson’s relationship to the former Prime Minister, to enable the audience to assess their respective positions and calibrate their remarks accordingly.
‘Viewers heard a range of views on the issues raised, including the row about the BBC Chairman Richard Sharp, and we are confident they were appropriately challenged.
‘We don’t agree that the programme failed in its duty of due impartiality.’
Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg airs Sundays at 9am on BBC One.