Laura Kuenssberg moving on...

[MyOtherProfile]

www.theguardian.com/media/2021/oct/21/laura-kuenssberg-talks-step-down-bbc-political-editor

I read the headline and assumed she would be going off to do something with the government / Tory party but it seems she will present Today while leaving space for her successor to prepare for the next general election.

Just posting in the hope someone else finds it as interesting as me

🤣🤣 @Pythonista - oh really that's good to know - Then they should leave the channels as they are and this just shows how behind I am - the children laugh as it takes me so long to work out the control. I will be looking out for BBC4 now!

I think she is brilliant

We know Andrew Neil is right wing but anyone he interviews his political stance is irrelevant he will not let anyone get away with not backing up their statements that is what is important

@PreparationPreparationPrep

🤣🤣 *@Pythonista* - oh really that's good to know - Then they should leave the channels as they are and this just shows how behind I am - the children laugh as it takes me so long to work out the control. I will be looking out for BBC4 now!

Do it then hide the remote

She has only appeared right leaning since the election and the Beeb had their leftie arses handed to them by the people. Prior to that she was the Beeb's Rottweiler in chief snarling away for years on at end at the tories.....

Why would anyone want the BBC to stop making news? That’s mad.
Sure it’s not perfect. But it has a commitment to being impartial.
Like the commercial channels are going to be impartial or even cover topics at all when they don’t suit their bosses and shareholders..

Good luck to her.
I'm not a huge fan of hers and felt that some of her interviews were a bit off and not well balanced.
Hope she's more balanced on R4.

I really like her, don't blame her at all for wanting to move on considering how stressful that job must be and how much hate is directed at her.

I've never really had faith in her ability - like she should have had more gravitas iyswim
She falters quite a lot on air and seems to give her opinion rather than fact.

@JMAngel1

I've never really had faith in her ability - like she should have had more gravitas iyswim She falters quite a lot on air and seems to give her opinion rather than fact.

Yes that's my view too really.

@JMAngel1

I've never really had faith in her ability - like she should have had more gravitas iyswim She falters quite a lot on air and seems to give her opinion rather than fact.

Gosh. It's interesting how we all have different views about the same thing. I think she is very adept live and makes a hard job look much easier than it is in reality. Also, that she is able to cut through a whole swathe of conflicting information and get to the crux of what's important eg many reports on Brexit which had many complicated technical.aspects to it.

I'm so surprised that so many posters like her! I was always a bit the bbc pushed her so much, but I am obviously in the minority.

I too find too much of her reporting is opinion rather than fact. And I don't particularly like her delivery. I hope she doesn't move to the Today programme as I usually listen most morning.

I like Jon Sopel though, so him as political editor would be good

I'm not a LK fan, I would really like to see Vicky Young take over from LK or Jon Sopel.

Shocked that so many people like her. I think she's absolutely awful, just a terrible terrible journalist /broadcaster - must have been in a very small echo chamber for the last few years!

I would think of myself centre left but I guess depends on who you are comparing yourself with. Perhaps on mumsnet I'm a full on Trotskyist!

I find it surprising that so many people feel it is necessary to "like" a senior journalist (which I do btw). Is it the fact that she is a woman that pps are placing so much importance on "likeability"? Would they say that about Andrew Neil for example? As to the accusations of expressing opinion v reporting fact, I think she does provide an accurate assessment about what is happening in Parliament and she has excellent contacts on the ground; but when you are reporting something like Brexit then opinions do matter, ditto most topics at a high political level eg taxation, education, social care it all boils down to government policy which is opinion in any other language. As chief political correspondent she is there to discuss and analyse, not just say "this is happening", "that is happening".

I don't really get the idea that LK is openly right wing. It seems to be based on the hard time she gave Jeremy Corbyn et al, and the resulting Twitter abuse from his fans.

Thing is, that's her job isn't it? She's certainly hauled various Tories over the coals many, many times.

I think a little bit of unintentional bias creeps in sometimes with Nick Robinson and Evan Davies (for example) but LK seems completely straight bat to me.

I think the idea of her being right wing comes from how pally she seems with Johnson et al, and how she is with them in interviews compared to how she was with JC or any other lefties.

I would say I am mostly left wing but I really admired Laura k she was so hardcore basically working 24hrs a day throughout general elections, not afraid to ask questions etc

I think the idea of her being right wing comes from how pally she seems with Johnson et al, and how she is with them in interviews compared to how she was with JC or any other lefties.

I just rewatched an interview with each to see if I misremembered and I don't see it at all.

She has a slow but detailed style and gives both lots of room to talk but she presses home. She gently pulled Johnson apart on the post-lockdown interview, getting him to admit failings where in the past he has just side stepped with other journos.

There have been lots of times when she is face to face with Johnson where she comes over very friendly and the questions are not as cutting.

There have been lots of times when she is face to face with Johnson where she comes over very friendly and the questions are not as cutting.

I'll take your word for it but I suspect that might just be a difference in style to get the answers she wants. Corbyn handles her gentle probing much better than Johnson, so perhaps she changed tack. What she does with Johnson works.

For example (if you haven't heard them) Google Eddie Mair's interviews with Johnson. Mair excoriates him- they are the most car crash interviews you've ever heard.

If you subscribe to this idea that journalists are coloured by their politics you'd think Mair an absolute commie but in fact he's nothing of the sort. He's different in style depending on the guest.

I like her. I always enjoy hearing her on Newscast, and look forward to listening on Today.

Also, I wish her all the best.

@Fourstronghocks

I find it surprising that so many people feel it is necessary to "like" a senior journalist (which I do btw). Is it the fact that she is a woman that pps are placing so much importance on "likeability"? Would they say that about Andrew Neil for example? As to the accusations of expressing opinion v reporting fact, I think she does provide an accurate assessment about what is happening in Parliament and she has excellent contacts on the ground; but when you are reporting something like Brexit then opinions do matter, ditto most topics at a high political level eg taxation, education, social care it all boils down to government policy which is opinion in any other language. As chief political correspondent she is there to discuss and analyse, not just say "this is happening", "that is happening".

YY or this ^. I catch myself doing it. Never think about whether I ‘like’ a male presenter/ interviewer/ journalist.

@Fourstronghocks

I find it surprising that so many people feel it is necessary to "like" a senior journalist (which I do btw). Is it the fact that she is a woman that pps are placing so much importance on "likeability"? Would they say that about Andrew Neil for example? As to the accusations of expressing opinion v reporting fact, I think she does provide an accurate assessment about what is happening in Parliament and she has excellent contacts on the ground; but when you are reporting something like Brexit then opinions do matter, ditto most topics at a high political level eg taxation, education, social care it all boils down to government policy which is opinion in any other language. As chief political correspondent she is there to discuss and analyse, not just say "this is happening", "that is happening".

In my opinion it is not sex based opinion.

My personal most likable BBC political editor of all time was Stephanie Flanders. Most likeable current is Norman Smith - I wish he'd have got the job over LK when Peston left. I didn't like Peston and don't like LK, if we are just looking at purely "likability". So total mix of likability on both sides.

@donquixotedelamancha

I don't really get the idea that LK is openly right wing. It seems to be based on the hard time she gave Jeremy Corbyn et al, and the resulting Twitter abuse from his fans.

Thing is, that's her job isn't it? She's certainly hauled various Tories over the coals many, many times.

I think a little bit of unintentional bias creeps in sometimes with Nick Robinson and Evan Davies (for example) but LK seems completely straight bat to me.

I agree donquixote.

I also think there was an element of misogyny in the attacks on her by Corbynites. And I'm surprised that on MN which is at least female-dominated, if not feminist, there isn't more support for a clearly very intelligent, hard-working and high-achieving woman.

I just googled and it seems she is the first woman to have had this job:

Hardiman Scott 1970–1975 Then Chief Assistant to the Director-General of the BBC
David Holmes 1975–1980 Retired
John Simpson 1980–1981 Now BBC World Affairs Editor
John Cole 1981–1992 Retired
Robin Oakley 1992–2000 Now at CNN
Andrew Marr 2000–2005 Now a BBC TV presenter
Nick Robinson 2005–2015 Political editor of ITV News 2002–2005, now a Today Programme presenter
Laura Kuenssberg 2015–present