BBC Breakfast presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty mocked the UK flag and a picture of the Queen in an interview with the Housing Minister, Robert Jenrick.
Yesterday, the presenters of BBC Breakfast, Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty, ridiculed the Housing Minister Robert Jenrick for displaying the UK flag and a picture of the Queen during the interview.
Mr Jenrick discussed the vaccine rollout and a possible shortage, stating that those in their 50s and the clinically vulnerable would definitely receive a second vaccine.
As the interview ended, Mr Stayt commented on the UK flag in the background, stating: “I think your flag is not up to standard-size Government interview… measurements. I think it’s just a little bit small. But that’s your department, really!”
He added: “You’ll be aware, we’ve seen it [the Union Jack flag] every day.”
Meanwhile his co-host laughed at the remark, saying: “Always a flag. They had the picture of the Queen there in Westminster office – I’m assuming.”
A number of people took to Twitter to cheer on the BBC’s remarks.
“#BBCBreakfast well done Charlie Stayt for mocking Robert Jenrick for this union flag fetish the Govt have for their interviews. Made my morning.”
Mr Jenrick responded to the remarks in a post online, saying:
We’re always proud to fly the Union Flag at @mhclg
It’s a symbol of liberty and freedom that binds the whole country together. pic.twitter.com/F8dG0PNkeb— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) March 18, 2021
This was echoed by a number of politicians and journalists, including Daniel Kawczynski MP, Baroness Hoey and Andrew Neil, who said: “Sometimes the BBC forgets what the first B stands for.”
Later in the day, Naga Munchetty liked posts on Twitter saying “the flag-shaggers will be up in arms” and and that this “should be done every time the Tories roll out one of their talking head ministers”.
She later apologised in a tweet, saying she had removed the likes from those tweets and that they did not represent her views or those of the BBC:
I 'liked' tweets today that were offensive in nature about the use of the British flag as a backdrop in a government interview this morning.
I have since removed these 'likes'.
This do not represent the views of me or the BBC.
I apologise for any offence taken.
Naga— Naga Munchetty (@TVNaga01) March 18, 2021
