LETTERS Laura and the BBC
From Baroness James of Holland Park Sir: I would be grateful if I might correct an inaccuracy in Mr Boris Johnson's interview with me (The problem of pain', 19 August), which may have arisen through an indistinct tape or through a moment's aber- ration on my part.
It is not true that I don't watch News- night; I do, in fact, watch it almost every night, although I could wish that it went out earlier. This authoritative and in- depth discussion of the news is exactly what the BBC should be doing and my hope is that the programme will continue to be adequately funded and not moved to a later hour.
There was an example last week of the bias to which I object when the A-level results were reported on BBC News. Miss Laura Spence's success was announced and there was a short statement from her head- master. The impression, clearly given, was that Mr Gordon Brown had been entirely justified in describing Miss Spence's rejec- tion by Magdalen College as a scandal. Either the news editor was ignorant of the truth of this case (which would be surpris- ing since the facts have been publicly aired often enough) or he couldn't resist the temptation of firing a salvo in the class war, indulging a prejudice against Oxbridge or making a political point. Whatever the rea- son, this is not the standard of news report- ing which we have a right to expect from the BBC.
P.D. James
London W11
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