THE BBC's flagship Sunday politics programme has sparked fury after failing to include a Green Party representative – despite the party's conference taking place this weekend.
The Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme featured a lengthy interview with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who is attending her party conference in Birmingham from Sunday until Wednesday.
Yet despite the fact that the Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) are also hosting their conference in Brighton this weekend, no mention of this was made on the programme.
Instead, the only mention of the Greens was when the panel referred to Green Party leader Zack Polanski as "your brother that goes to Bristol" and "the sort of eternal student stepson who screams more than Greens".
The BBC has repeatedly come under fire over its coverage of the Greens, with Polanski previously condemning the broadcaster's "absurd" coverage of his party compared to the likes of Reform UK.
During the programme on Sunday, Badenoch was asked in a pre-recorded interview how she would describe various political party leaders.
The Tory leader referred to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as a "grumpy grandpa" and Prime Minister Andy Burnham as the "cheesy uncle", while calling herself the "no-nonsense mum".
The panel – The Independent's editor in chief Geordie Greig, Telegraph associate comment editor Poppy Coburn and former Tory cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt – were then asked for their thoughts on who other political leaders would be.
Coburn said LibDem leader Ed Davey would be "your weird eccentric gay uncle who keeps posting on Facebook about his holidays and you have to meet".
She added: "And then, Zack Polanski, I suppose that he's your brother that goes to Bristol [University]."
Greig then added: "I'd say that Zack Polanski is the sort of eternal student stepson who screams more than Greens, and whose views are mixed with what he thinks is common sense, and sometimes is just–"
"You are both very harsh, I have to say," Kuenssberg intervened.
Mordaunt then described Polanski as "Rick from the Young Ones", and Davey as "a very, very excitable Labrador".
She went on to describe herself as "the nation's chief morale officer and cheerleader for the Conservative Party".
The other guests on the programme were Justice Secretary Alex Norris and Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice.
The BBC has sparked fury over failing to include the Greens in its coverage, with one user accusing the broadcaster of attempting to "de-platform the left".
Another said: "It's the Green Party conf this w/e [weekend]. Where's their voice here? This programme is a sick joke".
A third person referred to the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election which Polanski is standing in, writing: "You wouldn't realise that the Greens are favourites to win a by election next week?"
A fourth wrote: "Greens and Plaid Cymru both holding their Annual Conference this weekend, both ignored."
A fifth added: "During the Green Party conference and in the week leading up to a crucial by-election for the Greens. An utter disgrace."
Twenty minutes into the programme, Kuenssberg said she would be interviewing Polanski on October 18.
The BBC was approached for comment.
