Owen Jones ‘might not be invited back’ to Newsnight after delivering some home truths about its Russia coverage


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Owen Jones ripped into Newsnight on its 17 March programme. The cause of his anger? The programme’s hammed-up coverage of Jeremy Corbyn amid the diplomatic crisis with Russia.

Jones kicked off by stating:

The media framing [of Corbyn] has been a disgrace and that includes your own programme.

This prompted Newsnight presenter Evan Davies to concede the mock-up of Corbyn on a Kremlin backdrop had been “a provocation”:

Russian money

Jones also highlighted the Conservatives’ willingness to accept Russian money. As The Canary previously reported, the Conservatives are reluctant to admit their links to Russian ‘dirty’ money.

So hard-hitting was his performance, Jones joked he ‘might not be invited back’:

Magnitsky

Jones further raised the Conservative Party’s rejection of a Magnitsky amendment. Named after the lawyer killed in Russian custody for uncovering fraud, these powers would allow governments to seize the assets of corrupt foreign officials. Jones stated:

Which party over and over again demanded a Magnistky style amendment to clamp down on Russian dirty money? It was the Labour Party.

Which party resisted it over and over over again? It was the Conservative party.

As Business Insider UK reported, these powers have the potential to really hurt Putin’s regime.

But Theresa May has yet another sticky issue regarding Russia. Owen Jones shed some serious light on her actions as home secretary when he said:

Which politician kiboshed an inquiry  year after year into the poisoning of Litvinenko – and in so doing emboldened those that use chemical weapons? It was Theresa May.

Owen Jones cut through the noise to deliver a stinging rebuke to both Newsnight and the Conservatives. Such was his performance viewers were left in no doubt as to who has the difficult questions to answer.

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