The war of words between the Conservative party and the BBC has intensified, with Tories launching blistering attacks on the public broadcaster over its coverage of the ongoing inheritance tax dispute with the farming lobby. The row, which has been simmering for weeks, now looks set to boil over in Parliament, with the issue likely to dominate today’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
Conservatives Accuse BBC of Bias
Leading the charge against the BBC is Shadow Culture Secretary Stuart Andrew, who has accused the corporation of failing in its duty to remain independent and unbiased. In comments that made the front page of the Daily Telegraph, Andrew pulled no punches, alleging that the BBC had merely parroted Labour party lines on the inheritance tax changes, rather than holding the government to account.
“The job of BBC Verify is to do exactly that but they’ve failed on their own terms… The taxpayers pay for the BBC to be independent and free from bias, not for them to regurgitate Labour lines. This matter should be immediately looked into and corrected.”
– Stuart Andrew, Shadow Culture Secretary
At the heart of the controversy is a fact-check article published by BBC Verify, which called into question some of the claims made by farming groups about the scale and impact of the proposed inheritance tax reforms. The BBC analysis suggested that estimates from the Country Land and Business Association that 70,000 farms would be hit by the changes were “almost certainly an overestimate.”
Clarkson Joins the Fray
Fueling Tory anger further was an encounter between a BBC journalist and TV presenter turned farmer Jeremy Clarkson at a rally against the tax changes on Tuesday. The reporter challenged Clarkson over his past comments about buying a farm to avoid inheritance levies—a line of questioning that the Telegraph reports left the outspoken broadcaster fuming about BBC bias.
Clarkson’s involvement has only served to raise the temperature of the debate, which insiders say has now become intensely personal between key Conservative figures and senior BBC news executives. With both sides digging in, there appears to be little prospect of an imminent truce.
Battle Lines Drawn for PMQs
Against this backdrop of open hostility, all eyes will be on the weekly joust between the prime minister and leader of the opposition at noon. With Keir Starmer away at the G20 summit in Brazil, his deputy Angela Rayner will step up to face the music, with Tory understudy Alex Burghart deputizing for his boss.
While the Ukraine crisis, spiraling inflation and controversy over winter fuel poverty are all competing for airtime, Westminster watchers are near unanimous in expecting Burghart to come out swinging on the inheritance tax issue and the BBC’s alleged bias.
“The Conservatives scent blood and the chance to fire up their base by bashing the Beeb. It’s red meat for the backbenches and they won’t want to waste the opportunity.”
– Westminster insider
Tricky Terrain for Tories
Yet some in Tory ranks are sounding a note of caution, warning that all-out war with the public broadcaster risks backfiring. They point out that while attacking the BBC plays well with the party faithful, it’s less clear how such hardball tactics will go down with the wider electorate – especially more moderate floating voters in key swing seats.
There’s also the risk that in training their fire so heavily on alleged BBC bias, the Conservatives leave themselves exposed to claims they are neglecting the cost of living crisis and the other serious challenges facing the country. As one Tory campaign veteran put it: “We need to be careful not to let this become a distraction from our core message.”
BBC Stands Its Ground
For its part, the BBC is giving no ground, vigorously defending its journalism and insisting that its analysis of the inheritance tax reforms was fair, balanced and based on the best available evidence. Senior figures at the corporation are said to be determined not to be cowed by political pressure.
“BBC Verify did its job. The piece was rigorously fact-checked and we stand by every word.”
– BBC News insider
With both sides refusing to back down, the stage is set for a high-stakes clash that could have far-reaching implications—not just for the government’s flagship tax reforms, but for the always-fragile relationship between politicians and the journalists who hold them to account. As MPs prepare for what could be an explosive PMQs, the only certainty is that the battle for control of the narrative has only just begun.
