25 Jun 2014

Leftie or Tory? No, just following the hedgehog

It’s often said that the only thing in the middle of a road is a white line and a squashed hedgehog. Perhaps to that ignominious roll call should be added: news presenter.

I was reminded of the hedgehog/white line thing in the last few days after a series of interviews in which I was accused on Twitter of being on the one hand a “leftie” and on the other a closet Tory.

In fact where I always strive to be is down there with that middle-of-the-road hedgehog – unbiased, impartial as any broadcaster should be. But it’s funny how many people want to think a news presenter has an agenda.

When I questioned the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange about why he believed in transparency around the globe but not, apparently, when it came to being questioned about allegations of sexual assault, I was deluged with abuse on Twitter about my motives.

This, from @ttstwit was typical: “Totally disappointed at Newman’s partisan, establishment report on Assange.” Another drew attention to the fact that I blog for what he pejoratively termed “the Torygraph”.

Yet the very next day, when I quizzed the former Today programme editor Rod Liddle about his book, I was charged with bias in the opposite direction.

Radio host Jon Gaunt, who describes himself as having a “right wing agenda” called me simply “Biased @cathynewman”. @lint2315 agreed, fuming: “Disgusted with @cathynewman who doesn’t even hide that she’s a biased leftie.”

@tony_shenton begged to differ, concluding: “Anyone who believes you are on the left is delusional. E g. Your attack on Assange.”

Tweets and vitriol

And then yesterday, when it came to a chinwag with the comedian Rufus Hound, who thinks the government is selling off the NHS to the highest bidder, I was at once accused of giving him “a very easy ride” (“he’s obviously more to her taste than Rod Liddle!” tweeted @chrisg0000 – apparently implying that I was a leftie sympathiser), and simultaneously “bafflingly sceptical” about his claims of a government plot to privatise the health service.

Although some of the tweets were couched in the personal vitriol which appears to be inescapable, by and large I take comfort from the fact that no one can seem to agree whether I’m left or right.

I don’t belong to any political party and never have done. But that’s irrelevant anyway. Because whoever I interview, whatever their political persuasions, my first and last thought is to leave any personal views and prejudices at the door to the studio, and focus instead on how I can best hold my interviewee to account.

How should they be challenged most effectively so anyone watching is certain I’ve left no stone unturned in my scrutiny of their claims?

I don’t pretend I always get it spot on, but most of the time I hope I’m more or less where the hedgehog is, except preferably dodging the oncoming traffic.

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