Mr Forrester expressed the view that the UK should move in the same direction as the EU, and was strongly critical of existing Government policy.  Although it was entirely legitimate to give listeners the opportunity of hearing the views of a major industry figure such as Mr Forrester, the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines say contributors who seek to oppose or influence policy should be subjected to appropriate scrutiny.  While listeners would have understood Mr Forrester was putting forward his perspective as someone involved in car sales, his comments were not challenged and no other view or perspective was presented. In particular, no reference was made to the Government’s rationale or justification for its policy on electric vehicles, and there was no challenge to Mr Forrester’s claims about the potential impact on car prices, availability or investment in the UK by manufacturers. Consequently the item did not meet the applicable standards of impartiality.

Upheld