Interrogation and interruption on Today are a discourtesy to listeners

sir – Henry Webber (Letters, December 24) points out that, since the ministerial boycott of the Today programme, it has been more enjoyable, without constant interruptions from interviewers.

All BBC political broadcasting would be more enjoyable if interviewers learnt the difference between interviewing and interrogation; if they knew how to ask questions without advancing their own opinions; if they understood that to interrupt is a discourtesy not just to the interviewee but to listeners also; and if they realised that aggressive, ill-tempered interviewing is plain bad manners as well as often counterproductive.

Perhaps a training course with some of our skilled young barristers wouldn’t go amiss. It might even end the boycott (another loss to listeners) and restore some faith in the BBC.

His Honour Peter Birts QC

London SW6

sir – Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the director general of the BBC (Commentary, December 23), cites “criticism came from all sides of the political divide” as evidence that its coverage is not biased.

This is a puzzling failure of logic. The point is that the BBC is biased in favour of a centre-left, pro-remain agenda. Complaints from pro-leave Conservatives and a Left-wing Labour movement are completely consistent with the BBC’S centre-left bias. Peter Kirk

London W2

sir – Lord Hall claims the BBC was unbiased over the election.

Was that “despite Brexit”? Edward Boaden

Salisbury, Wiltshire

sir – Lord Hall fails to see that having some journalists biased in opposite directions results, not in impartiality, but untrustworthiness. Furthermore to claim that the number of people watching election results on the BBC was “a reminder of the trust people place in the BBC” is naive. Reporting audited vote counts is simple and verifiable. It is in presenting subjective claims of competing politicians where real journalistic skill and impartiality are required, and the BBC seems to have lost both of these attributes. Joshua Bowmaker

Macclesfield, Cheshire

sir – It is generally agreed, with glee or with indignation, that Broadcasting House promotes an agenda of liberalism with Leftist inclinations, which has become increasingly apparent over the past three years, in the wake of the 2016 Referendum.

From what I hear and read, it seems to me that, pace its general director, outside a milieu of “progressive” liberals, the BBC has completely and deservedly lost the trust of the British public.

The obvious consequence, in my opinion, is that it should also lose the unfair advantage of its TV licence, and the sooner the better. Dr Paolo Ferrante

London SW6