BBC under fire as arch Remainer invited to host Today

THE BBC is facing criticism after it invited its former economics editor Stephanie Flanders – a renowned Remainer – back to present the Today programme.

Insiders said the move was part of a bid to include more ‘alpha females’.

Miss Flanders was so vocal in her opposition to Brexit that she appeared in a TV advert aired a fortnight before the referendum urging voters to block it.

She also donated to Common Ground, one of the lobby groups behind a scaremongering billboard campaign this year designed to water down Brexit.

However, these clear ties to the Remain camp did not bar her from presiding over one of the BBC’s most important current

‘Isn’t it insulting to BBC reporters?’

shows. The 49-year-old was a ‘guest presenter’ yesterday alongside Justin Webb and was lined up to take the helm again this morning – even though Today has five permanent hosts who are paid nearly £1.5million a year between them.

‘Isn’t it a bit insulting to the BBC’s many equally brilliant reporters that she waltzes in over them?’ Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle, wrote on Twitter.

Other critics said the BBC had breached its impartiality rules.

A source said: ‘Today is for grown-ups and Stephanie has a good understanding of subjects... When she is on the BBC, she is neutral.’ The BBC said: ‘On occasion we have guest presenters across our programmes and ... they always adhere to BBC rules on impartiality.’