BBC under fire over ‘snide' description of new Reform mayor Andrea Jenkyns
The organisation's BBC Politics account referred to Reform's Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the new mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, as 'the former Greggs worker and Miss UK finalist' in a tweet about her 'return to politics'.
James Cleverly, the former foreign secretary, called the message 'contemptible'.
In a scathing criticism of the broadcaster's tweet, he wrote: 'She's a former MP and minister. There are genuine questions about how she'll deliver on Reform's vague promises, or deal with Farage's ego now she has elected power and he doesn't, etc.
'But this is just snide. @BBCPolitics should delete and apologise.'
The tweet, which was published on Friday morning and had more than 775,000 views by 4pm, received backlash from other X users, including one who labelled it 'bitter' and another who said it was 'misogynistic'.
Another responded: 'More pompous, supercilious reporting from @BBC. Pure intellectual snobbery from an increasingly self-important organisation.'
Helen Joyce, the author and gender-critical activist, highlighted the BBC's own impartiality rules.
She said: 'Whoever wrote this tweet and signed it off should be put through disciplinary. They can keep their political opinions to themselves while they're at work at the state broadcaster, which has a duty not to be partisan.'
Dame Andrea, a former minister, was a Tory MP from 2015 until last year, when she finished second to Labour in the seat of Leeds South West and Morley in the general election. She then joined Reform in November.
Last year, Dame Andrea said that leaving the Conservative Party was 'not an easy decision,' but added: 'The ship is sinking and perhaps, sadly, beyond salvage but enough is enough.
'It is time to step aboard a movement with vision and purpose and the courage to fight for Britain's future.'
In her victory speech on Friday, after beating her nearest rival by almost 40,000 votes, Dame Andrea declared that it was a 'new dawn in British politics' and vowed Reform would 'reset Britain to its glorious past'.
In the BBC article about her win, she was described as the 'former Greggs worker and Miss UK finalist' who had 'a remarkable political comeback'.
The broadcaster has been contacted by The Telegraph for comment.
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