Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald accuses BBC of "playing a part" in Labour's defeat

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald has accused the BBC of "playing a part" in Labour's defeat at the General Election.

BBC Radio 4 Today programme presenter Justin Webb asked Mr McDonald about Labour's heavy losses and whether the party's leader played a part in that.

Mr McDonald said: "Don't get me started on the media Justin, I'm very worried about our public service broadcaster."

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"Are you saying that the BBC was in part responsible for Mr Corbyn's loss?" Mr Webb then asked.

BBC Radio 4 Today programme presenter Justin Webb asked Mr McDonald about Labour's heavy losses and whether the party's leader played a part in that.BBC Radio 4 Today programme presenter Justin Webb asked Mr McDonald about Labour's heavy losses and whether the party's leader played a part in that.
BBC Radio 4 Today programme presenter Justin Webb asked Mr McDonald about Labour's heavy losses and whether the party's leader played a part in that.
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Mr McDonald replied: "I am saying that they played a part. I'm really worried about the drift. You've seen the catalogue of criticisms that we're making.

"We've accepted that the print media are rained against us, but my goodness me. I'm going to look at us. We're the important part here. We got this wrong, but if the BBC are going to hold themselves Asked if the BBC "consciously" played a part, Mr McDonald replied, "consciously, yes."

He added: "When you have a BBC presenter standing in front of a television camera saying 'and Boris Johnson is on his way to a richly-deserved victory'."

Mr Webb said: "Oh it's a slip of the tongue. That's absolute madness, isn't it?"

Mr McDonald said: "How many slips of the tongue are we going to make until you accept it?"out as somehow having conducted themselves in an impartial manner I think they've really got to have a look in the mirror. We've got a lot to say about this."