Tory minister accuses Art Attack host of 'bias' in strange on-air blunder

23 January 2024 , 10:08

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Tory minister accuses Art Attack host of 'bias' in strange on-air blunder

A Tory minister has been savaged after accusing the BBC of being biased - and naming the presenter of Art Attack in an on-air blunder.

Huw Merriman called bafflement when he lashed out at reporting of welfare changes by Neil Buchanan - who was a kids' TV favourite for years hosting the famous art show. And the minister also whined that a comedy show he listened to in his car was an anti-Tory "diatribe".

Mr Merriman, the latest Conservative figure to criticise the corporation, was pressed to give an example of biased reporting. First he rattled on about a radio show he didn't find funny before launching his puzzling attack on Mr Buchanan.

He said: "So when I worked at the Department of Work and Pensions doing work on Universal Credit 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."

Tory minister Huw Merriman came unstuck when lashing out at the BBC

Mr Merriman appears to have confused the Art Attack presenter with BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan who has reported on the rollout of Universal Credit.

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The excruciating moment came after he was challenged by Kay Burley to give examples of bias against the BBC. First he tried to point to popular show The News Quiz. He said: "Let me give you an example, I know that you were searching for them yesterday. I was listening to the News Quiz, which is on Radio 4 at 6.30pm on Friday when I was driving to my constituency office.

"For 10 minutes all I heard, and it wasn't satirical, it was just diatribe against Conservatives, not the government. And I did listen to that and think 'for goodness sake, where's the balance in that? 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."

Mr Merriman appears to have it in for Art Attack host Neil Buchanan (Getty Images)

An unimpressed Ms Burley responded: "You understand that the News Quiz is comedy and nothing to do with actual news." Mr Merriman struggled on, saying: "I love it when politicians get lampooned. But that was the whole point. There wasn't actually anything in that particular regard, which struck me as being sort of amusing. "

It comes after Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer claimed there was a "perception" of bias among the public. When Ms Burley pointed out this isn't evidence, she said: “That is evidence. Impartiality is about perception of the things that are being broadcast by the BBC, and the evidence in relation to that perception is that …”

Labour's Thangam Debbonaire wrote on Twitter: “Just the latest in a long line of secretaries of state for culture wars.”

No10 was yesterday 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.”

The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.

Dave Burke