CCHQ wants Tory activists to help 'beat BBC bias'

Iain Dale highlighted it at the time and the BBC were forced to admit the BBC One Show's portrayal of David Cameron's Conservatives "was not as good as it should have been".  The Sunday Telegraph reminds us of the feature:

"The report, by the "working-class" Kaye Adams, asked whether "being posh" was "a bad thing for politics". If the Tories get into power, she claimed, "we will be electing a Cabinet filled with no less than 18 millionaires". Interviewees described David Cameron as a "toff" and "unashamedly a Sloane Ranger". Adams concluded that voters must decide if "the old school elite governs once more"."

In the run up to the election CCHQ is widening its routine monitoring of TV output. In addition to the normal focus on news and current affairs output it is examining other feature-based programmes (like The One Show) that are likely to be running political features as the nation prepares to go to the polls.

CCHQ are hoping that rank-and-file Tory members will be on the look out too. Activists are encouraged to help "beat bias" by reporting incidences of slanted reporting either directly to the responsible broadcaster or via their local party agent and Chairmen.  CCHQ hopes that bias will be pre-empted if the BBC and other broadcasters know that they are being watched as never before.

Tim Montgomerie