BBC accused of 'extreme bias' after superimposing image of Jeremy Corbyn on to the Kremlin in Soviet-style hat but Newsnight denies photoshopping

  • Left-winger Owen Jones, attacked BBC Two programme for using 'altered image'
  • Show pictured Corbyn against a 'Kremlin skyline, dressed up as a Soviet stooge'
  • But Newsnight acting editor Jess Brammar denied the hat had been altered 

A Newsnight boss has denied that the programme photoshopped Jeremy Corbyn's hat to make him look more Russian.

Supporters of the Labour leader, including prominent left-wing writer Owen Jones, attacked the BBC Two programme for using an image they claim had been altered.

Mr Jones appeared on the show to discuss Labour's response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack and claimed Mr Corbyn had been made to look like a 'Soviet stooge'.

Jeremy Corbyn's image appeared on Newsnight against the backdrop of the Kremlin - prompting claims he had been photoshopped to look like a 'stooge' 

Jeremy Corbyn's image appeared on Newsnight against the backdrop of the Kremlin 

'The media framing has been a disgrace and I have to say that includes your own programme,' he told presenter Evan Davis on Friday.

'Yesterday the background of your programme you had Jeremy Corbyn dressed up against the Kremlin skyline, dressed up as a Soviet stooge.

'You even photoshopped his hat to look more Russian.

'People should complain to the BBC about that kind of thing.'

Mr Corbyn was pictured wearing a hat against a backdrop of Moscow's Red Square.

Owen Jones attacked the BBC, claiming it had altered the image to make Corbyn look like a 'Soviet stooge'

Owen Jones attacked the BBC, claiming it had altered the image to make Corbyn look like a 'Soviet stooge'

Newsnight acting editor Jess Brammar denied the hat had been altered.

'Newsnight didn't photoshop a hat,' she tweeted.

'Our [excellent, hardworking] graphics team explained the image has had the contrast increased & been colour treated, usual treatment for screen graphics as they need more contrast to work through the screens.

'If you look you can see it's same hat in silhouette.

Newsnight acting editor Jess Brammar denied the photo of Corbyn (pictured) had been photshopped, pointing viewers to the hat's silhouette

Newsnight acting editor Jess Brammar denied the photo of Corbyn (pictured) had been photshopped, pointing viewers to the hat's silhouette

'Apparently (forgive me for passing on tech details I don't understand firsthand) some detail might also have been lost with it going through the screen and then being filmed back through a camera, again the standard effect on images on that big back panel.

'And finally, the Russia background was a rehash of one Newsnight used a few weeks ago, for a story about Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary.'

Mr Jones responded to the tweets saying the programme had picked an image of Mr Corbyn that was as 'Leninesque as possible'.

'The photo of Williamson is in a suit and his photo remains clear,' he said.

'There is no shortage of photos of Corbyn in a suit. A photo was selected which was as Leninesque as possible in combination with a red Kremlin background.' 

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