Splintered Sunrise points us to Private Eye where occasional neocon columnist Ratbiter has the latest on the row between Newsnight and Policy Exchange.
Back in December, Newsnight claimed the think-tank’s report on extremism in British mosques was based on faked evidence. In response, Policy Exchange said it was considering legal action. If Ratbiter is right, there may have been a discreet rethink:
Furious Conservatives say they’ve no option but to sue or to take a dossier on Peter Barron, Newsnight’s editor, to the BBC’s senior management. Either way, the dispute promises to be one of the most vitriolic of 2008, with accusations of racism, bias and incompetence and bad faith from both sides. (Private Eye)
Which option, I wonder? Enlightening as it would no doubt be to see this thrashed out in open court, the latter possibility is much more on keeping with the modus operandi that produced this affair in the first place.
Also, while Policy Exchange is known to be close to David Cameron, the suggestion that ‘furious Conservatives’ will be suing the BBC blurs completely the distinction between the Tory Party and what is, according to its website, an ‘independent think-tank’.
In sum, It seems that for all the talk of suing, Ratbiter’s sources are not very confident of Policy Exchange’s legal position, and are seeking to enlist powerful friends. Peter Barron will want to watch his back.
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