Objecting to the core of @maitlis intro ['he broke the rules'] is to allow political power to define facts. That some don't agree on the facts does not make these facts opinions.
We have seen the BBC wrestle with this problem on climate change, putting climate change denial on an equal footing with the consensus scientific view. It subsequently came down on the side of the facts.
It wrestled with Brexit in the same way. It was less successful in insulating the effect of political power on the facts [in this case of the overwhelming consensus in the econ profession that Brexit would be costly].
I think this was a part of the reason why many people who rely on professionals for their take did not grasp that Brexit would be costly.
The stakes in this incident are much greater. Brexit is very small beer in comparison to the difference between handling covid19 well and badly. A difference which could turn on exposing government dishonesty and not exposing it.
On the other hand, in this instance the dishonesty is so blatant and obvious that even a relentless he said she said approach - often the safe journey through a story taken by the Beeb would not hide what took place.
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