BBC bias: How broadcaster 'deliberately scared people about Brexit!'

The BBC pretends to walk a tightrope of impartiality during the Brexit process, but one Tory MP claimed the broadcaster is "full of Remainers" and accused it of "trying to scare people" during trade talks.

During a debate on Brexit in the wake of the referendum, Conservative Party MP and Brexiter Bernard Jenkin criticised the language used by the BBC's Gary Robertson. He was referring to Jenkin speaking on Good Morning Scotland when Robertson said: "You talk about crashing out without a deal if that’s what it takes.” But Jenkin denied using that language and said leaving the Brussels bloc without a trade deal would “not be disastrous”. He said: “No, I didn’t say that. Why do you say ‘crashing’? This is emotive language designed to scare people.

“I know the BBC is full of people who voted Remain but really you’re displaying your bias.”

He was also asked whether he would be happy with a no deal exit, and the MP for Harwich and North Essex said it was “ridiculous’ to suggest the UK would be cut off from the bloc if a deal was not struck.

Jenkin continued: “As Liam Fox just said, if we leave without a comprehensive trade deal at the outset, that will not be disastrous.

“Most countries trade with the European Union without a comprehensive trade deal.

“The idea that we would leave and we would have none of the arrangements with the EU that the EU gives to a hundred other countries around the world, with which it doesn’t have a trade deal, is obviously ridiculous.”

At the time, the EU was warning the UK should sort itself out “fast” in order to avoid delays in signing a new trade deal with the European Union after Brexit.

Speaking to CNBC, EU Commission Vice President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen discussed the UK prospect of securing a new agreement shortly after the end of the first phase of the negotiations.

Katainen said: “It’s difficult to estimate anything at this stage, but the faster we can settle the financial issues, people’s rights issues, important issues, the faster we can begin to negotiate our future relationship."

Brexit talks remain tense as Boris Johnson's government takes on the EU in trade negotiations.

Barnier maintained his plans released earlier this year that quota-free access to EU markets was dependent on the inclusion of “a mechanism to uphold the high standards we have on social, environmental, tax, and state aid matters today and in their future developments”.

Barnier has also told the UK in recent months that if it wants access to European markets, it must allow the EU27 access to British fishing grounds.