Nick Robinson defends Radio 4’s Today interview with right wing US commentator Ann Coulter

Radio 4’s Nick Robinson has defended the decision to invite Ann Coulter on the Today programme to discuss Donald Trump’s retweet of posts sent by Britain First’s deputy leader.

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The BBC faced criticism for giving the right-wing political commentator airtime – but Robinson argued that they had done so “to reveal & explain & scrutinise the source of the Trump tweet”.

One lesson of Trump tweet = careful what you like & share on social media. You may be giving racists & extremists the publicity they crave 1/2

— Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) November 30, 2017

For those criticising @BBCr4today for interviewing @AnnCoulter – we did so to reveal & explain & scrutinise the source of the Trump tweet 2/2

— Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) November 30, 2017

Coulter appeared on Today on Thursday morning to discuss a series of tweets sent out by Jadya Fransen, the deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First, which purported to show Muslims carrying out crimes. The tweets had gained widespread publicity after US President Donald Trump retweeted them to his 43.7m followers.

Many listeners then took to Twitter to lambast the Radio 4 programme for giving Coulter a platform from which to air her views, including Scottish National Party MP Joanna Cherry and author/broadcaster Stephanie Merrit:

Please @BBCr4today is it really necessary to have an extended interview in your top slot with such a hate filled bigoted ignoramus as @AnnCoulter? It's too much

— Joanna Cherry QC (@joannaccherry) November 30, 2017

Listening to #R4Today, it would seem pertinent to observe that @AnnCoulter is utterly, toxically, irredeemably batshit unhinged.

— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) November 30, 2017

Dear @BBCr4today – what are you thinking, giving Ann Coulter such an extended platform to spout her misinformed racist hate speech? Is this supposed to be edgy? 'Balanced'? Seriously – please justify this decision.

— Stephanie Merritt ???????????????????????? (@thestephmerritt) November 30, 2017

er, Ann Coulter making Radio 4's Today programme more like the Jerry Springer show.

— Seán Donohoe (@kingprawn1) November 30, 2017

I have contempt for any editor gullible, reckless or glib enough to give Ann Coulter airtime in 2017. There is no excuse.

— Dorian Lynskey (@Dorianlynskey) November 30, 2017

Coulter – who had also retweeted the videos – used the platform to defend Donald Trump, arguing that he was “only giving as good as he gets”.

“This is what Brexit was about, this is what Donald Trump is about,” she said. “The native countries are blowing up at the constant importation of people who do not share our Western values. That’s the point at issue.”