Conservative Party Deputy Leader Lee Anderson has hit out at the BBC over a “Brexit-bashing display” at the Last Night of the Proms.
The GB News presenter was responding to a swathe of EU flags that were visible in the crowd at the event, and he claims the broadcaster made efforts to ensure the display was front and centre of the coverage.
The national broadcaster organises and broadcasts the proms, and are now under fire after clips of hundreds of EU flags were shown during the final song, Rule Britannia.
Speaking to Dan Wootton, Lee Anderson claimed the broadcaster is behind the political demonstration.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW BELOW
“The BBC is to blame”, he said on GB News.
“You know my opinions on the BBC. It used to be a Union flag waving event.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
“Again, it’s the pro-European BBC. They will not forgive us for leaving the EU.
“The British taxpayer subsidies to the tune of about £5bn a year, their hard-earned cash is used to pay the BBC.
“They’re just a political front for the Labour Party as far as I’m concerned. I don’t pay my licence fee, if the heavies come round, I’ll tell them to clear off and have a word with Gary Lineker.”
Dan Wootton added that it was simply a “Brexit-bashing display”.
A screengrab from the BBC's coverage of the Last Night of the PromsBBCThe presence of flags at the event has been a regular occurrence since 2016, with Thank EU for the Music handing out flags since then.
In a tweet on Sunday, it showed vans filled with “thousands of free EU flags” to be distributed among those attending the Last Night go the Proms.
The group claimed the showing was in support of musicians who have been impacted by Brexit.
The group congratulated BBC director-general Tim Davie on Saturday in a letter for an “incomparable festival of joyful music-making.”
“We appreciate that the BBC strives to avoid controversy at all costs, but would gently point out that in doing so you might on occasion have chosen reticence rather than objectivity with regards to editorial policy on Brexit matters”, they added in regards to its flags.
The event on Saturday was the first time post-pandemic that the event could be held.
Its 2022 performance was cancelled following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The BBC commented: “Audiences choose to bring their own flags, and the Royal Albert Hall specify size limitations within their guidelines for safety reasons.”
