Cummings’ testimony, the BBC Bashir scandal and trouble in Belarus

A round-up and review of the week’s biggest news stories

In this week’s ‘News Roundtable’ episode, host Chris Wright and guests discuss Dominic Cummings’ explosive evidence on the government’s handling of the pandemic; the impact Martin Bashir’s interview scandal could have on the future of the BBC; and the actions of President Alexander Lukashenko, following the Belarus plane incident.

In this episode, Chris is joined by David Banks, media law consultant; Simon Fellowes, writer and producer; Joy Lo Dico, journalist and writer; and Joe Mayes, UK politics and Brexit reporter for Bloomberg

The conversation begins by unraveling accusations made by Cummings during his seven-hour testimony to MPs, to discuss the public’s reaction to the government’s questionable conduct and lack of strategy around Covid, as well as Cummings own complicity for his lockdown Barnard Castle trip.

The discussion moves to talk about methods of deception used by Bashir to secure his bombshell panorama interview with Princess Diana, to debate whether this was a case of “one rogue reporter”, and how reform could impact the BBC forever by weakening its finances andreach.

Guests also discuss western outrage and threats of economic sanctions following Lukashenko’s decision to divert a EU commercial plane, and “embarrassment” around the UK’s last place result in the Eurovision Song Contest.

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