Shadow cabinet minister Rachel Reeves has criticised Newsnight editor Ian Katz for his lack of “common decency” after he sent a tweet describing her appearance on the programme as “boring”.
In her first interview since the row erupted last week, Reeves told The Guardian that she felt “humiliated” by the Katz comment.
She said: “It's no way to talk about your guests. If he wants to make a decision that he doesn't want to discuss issues then that's fine, but he should just have some common decency."
Immediately after her appearance as a guest on Newsnight on Monday, Katz, in what was intended as a private message in response to a friend, tweeted: "Tnks … except for boring snoring rachel reeves … playout was fun tho, wasn't it? telly MUCH netter [sic] than snooooozepapers innit"
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Reeves, who had only been back in full-time politics for a week following maternity leave, added she was “frustrated that this is now going to define my return to politics”.
She also appeared to criticise Newsnight's news values after she appeared in an edition of the programme that also included a performance from the Arctic Monkeys and an interview with Chris Huhne.
“Maybe in between such fun and excitement I was a bit boring,” she said. “But it’s Newsnight. It’s supposed to cover news.”
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Katz had taken over as editor of Newsnight less than two weeks before last Monday’s broadcast having left The Guardian, where he was deputy editor, earlier in the summer.
Reeves said she would go on Newsnight again “because that’s my job”.
She also revealed that she had accepted Katz’s apology, adding: I think if the biggest thing I have got to worry about is whether Ian Katz thinks I'm boring then I haven't got many problems, have I?"
Last week, the Labour Party demanded a formal apology from Katz, saying his comment had called into question “the impartiality and fairness” of the programme.
Besides the apology, the following night’s closing credits for Newsnight included one that read: Newsnight editor @iankatz1000 #fail”.
The BBC said no further action would be taken against Katz.
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