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Andrew William Stevenson Marr

Is a British broadcaster, journalist and confirmed long time Labour Party supporter who began his career as a political commentator, then went on to edit The Independent (1996–98), before becoming a political editor for BBC News (2000–05) and began hosting his politics discussion show on Sunday mornings on BBC One from September 2005.

Completing his education at Cambridge University, he proudly boasted that he was a “raving leftie” nicknamed “Red Andy”. He was also a member of the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory (an off-shoot of the International-Communist League, now known as the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty).

 

 

 

He revealed his Unionist allegiances in 2014 when he interviewed, Alex Salmond.

Addressing the matter of Scotland joining the EU he misquoted EU President Barroso’s remarks saying “I think it would be quite hard to get back in, I have to say,  but let’s move on to the other big question we’ve had this week.”

Alex Salmond hit back saying “Sorry, can I just examine that for a second, Andrew? Is this your analysis or that of the BBC?”

Marr responded saying he was offering a view based on the opinion of Barrasso.

In reply, Alex said “As opposed, Andrew, to the weight of evidence that’s being presented to the Scottish Parliament’s committees at the present moment. But, I don’t know, is that an individual expression or is that the expression of the BBC?”

Marr replied “No, it’s not, I’ve got no views on this, nor does the BBC. I was simply reflecting on what Barroso told us.”

Alex replied, “Well you just said what your opinion was. I thought you were asking questions but anyway I mistook you there, I thought you were giving your opinion, as opposed to President Barroso’s opinion.”

A Scottish government spokesman said later:

“The Andrew Marr programme distinctly favoured the opinion from the president of the Commission which had been roundly rejected by EU experts. There are questions for the BBC to answer over their coverage of this issue. Firstly, they failed to press President Barroso about his comparison of Scotland – (which has been part of the EU for over 40 years) – with Kosovo and Marr offered what appeared to be a personal view on an independent Scotland’s EU membership. The comments from Andrew Marr appear to be outside the BBC’s editorial guidelines, and no amount of backtracking can change that.”

He went on to say, “Though the specific comment made was surprising, the first minister responded at the time and we do not intend to complain about a programme we were represented on. But the BBC face a more generic issue in relation to referendum coverage that has been highlighted by independent academic research and it is for the BBC to explain their overall approach.”

 

 

 

Marr admits BBC is not impartial

Marr publically declared that the BBC

“is not impartial or neutral. It’s a publicly funded, urban organisation employing an abnormally large number of young people, ethnic minorities and gay people. It has a liberal bias, not so much a party-political bias. It is better expressed as a cultural liberal bias.”

The meeting also heard that the BBC was patronising its audiences and constrained by an intolerant version of politically correct liberalism. (The Telegraph 26 Oct 2006)

 

 

Marr Hides details of an illicit affair with a colleague behind a super injunction

Marr won a High Court injunction in January 2008 to suppress reports of his illicit relationship with the barrister, and political reporter for the Times, Alice Miles the mother of a young daughter (that he believed was his)

Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, who challenged the super-injunction in court, said “As a leading BBC interviewer, who’s asking politicians about failures in judgement, failures in their private lives, inconsistencies, it was pretty rank of him to have an injunction while acting as an active journalist. (BBC Today 26 Apr 201)

 

 

Jackie Ashley (Wide) Andrew Marr, Alice Miles

 

 

 

 

Marr at it again – caught smooching with another woman.

Boozy BBC politics veteran Marr, who last year tried to gag papers over another affair was snapped outside a late-night bar passionately embracing a brunette television producer.

A source said “I spotted them hugging and kissing up against the fence. They were there for a few minutes. Eventually, they went back to the bar and stayed until closing time before leaving together. I couldn’t believe the way he was carrying on. You’d have thought he was old enough to know better.”

Marr has been married to wife Jackie Ashley for 25 years and the couple have three children together. (The Telegraph 20 Sep 2012)

 

 

 

Comment

Marr, playing away from home again. The BBC’s leading presenter, who is paid £600,000 a year by the long-suffering licence payers for boring the life out of them. A great journalist he ain’t. In fact, he is to journalism what a genital wart is to a loving relationship. And the BBC pretended that it was no big deal and his private life was of no interest to anyone. In an ideal world, Marr would have been sacked for lying and abusing his wholesome family image. But in a world where the British media is run by the commissars of the Left, he kept his job.

 

 

 

It’s Time to Consign the BBC to the Dustbin of History.

The BBC has already investigated that unlikely claim, at a special seminar back in 2006, when Andrew Marr disarmingly observed that

“The Corporation “is not impartial nor neutral. It is a publicly funded, urban organisation with an abnormally large number of young people, ethnic minorities and gay people. It has a liberal bias, not so much a party-political bias.”

So, when James Naughtie famously asked on the Today programme “If we [sic] win the election, does Gordon Brown remain chancellor?” No party political bias was implied.

The BBC has contributed enormously to the degeneration of Britain. It is time to consign it to the dustbin of history. The first step must be to abolish the licence fee, as a public priority. Ultimately it needs to be broken up and sold off. The notion that this decayed, self-regarding, socially subversive institution is susceptible of reform is a delusion. State broadcasting is a totalitarian concept. Auntie has become a raddled old crone; this nation wants no more of her. (Breitbart 5 Nov 2014)

 

 

And what of Marr’s wife

She is Jacqueline Ashley, daughter of the late Labour politician, Baron Ashley of Stoke, is a television news reporter and newspaper journalist who writes for the New Statesman and The Guardian and regularly visits the BBC Studios. She specializes in the Labour Party, the media, politics, public services, trade unions and women’s issues.

 

 

Fun and Games at Downing Street

 

Marr, the author launched his new book from Downing Street following a glowing introduction by David Cameron and the great and good of other political parties. One wonders just how favoured he must be to receive such gracious treatment from the unlovely Tory grandees he is supposed to be holding to account. Remarkably, an awkward question managed to breach the bonhomie.

Liz Thomson, co-editor of the website ‘Book-Brunch’, asked Marr if having Cameron host the book launch ‘mightn’t compromise his position as impartial political interviewer for the BBC’.

Before he could reply, his wife, Jackie, Guardian columnist and daughter of Lord Ashley of Stoke, buttonholed Thomson and intervened, declaring “you’ve ruined my evening. You are despicable and a bitch.”

The event confirms public concern about the state of modern journalism that Ashley was appalled that one of the BBC’s most senior political journalists should be asked the one question that cried out to be raised. Or perhaps she would think nothing of her husband having his book launch party hosted by Putin, or Assad, or Maduro. Or, more to the point, of a leading Russian journalist teaming up with Putin in the same way. (Private Eye 19 Sep 2014)