London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

BBC blasted for another gaffe after confusing two black female MPs, while Evening Standard adds THIRD woman to race storm

BBC blasted for another gaffe after confusing two black female MPs, while Evening Standard adds THIRD woman to race storm

The BBC has found itself in the middle of a new race controversy after confusing Labour MP Marsha de Cordova with another black MP during political coverage. Incredibly, the Evening Standard then added a third woman to the story.

De Cordova, the MP for Battersea, was speaking during a House of Commons session on the Agricultural Bill on Monday. However, BBC Parliament mistakenly identified her with a strapline for Dawn Butler, who is Labour’s shadow minister for women and equalities and a candidate for deputy leader of the party.

The embarrassing blunder comes hot on the heels of the BBC being forced to apologise for a ‘human error’ which saw the broadcaster mixing up footage of Kobe Bryant with LeBron James, during a report on the helicopter crash which killed the US basketball legend.

However, somewhat bizarrely, it wasn’t just the BBC perpetrating gaffes relating to mistaken identity concerning Butler and de Cordova. The Evening Standard published the race storm story on the black Labour MPs with an image of Butler, but instead of using a picture of de Cordova they used a photo of Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the black Labour lawmaker for Streatham.

The paper, edited by former Tory Chancellor George Osborne, has since apologized for the error, claiming that Ribeiro-Addy’s image “had been wrongly captioned by one of our picture suppliers, Getty Images.”

Butler, responding on social media to the BBC’s gaffe, suggested the corporation’s problem on this issue was rooted in its failure to recruit enough black and ethnic minorities. She tweeted: “Diversity in the workplace matters it also helps to avoid making simple mistakes like this.”

De Cordova claimed on Twitter that she still hasn’t received an apology from the BBC, hours after the incident.

The latest race-related howler from the BBC has been met with a fiery response from many people online who appeared fed up with the broadcaster seemingly making a habit of committing such damaging errors.

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, a political and women’s rights activist, accused the corporation of “projecting bias,” brutally claiming that “there’s no threshold of shame for @BBC.” One person sarcastically re-branded the BBC “The Black-Blind Corporation” in a tweet.


Others tweeted gifs to voice their frustration at the broadcaster for making yet another “mistake.”



In November, the BBC caused consternation after using dated footage of PM Boris Johnson laying a poppy wreath during the Remembrance Sunday ceremony. It prompted many on social media to claim that the BBC was peddling “fake news,” accusing the broadcaster of “bias” and “propaganda.”

The public broadcaster is entering some uncertain times in light of its director general Tony Hall announcing in January that he’ll be stepping down from his role in the summer. Questions have been raised about the sustainability of its publicly-funded model.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×