# Green activist criticised over heated BBC debate with Jewish journalist

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/fury-as-green-party-activist-given-free-rein-by-bbc-to-lambast-jewish-woman/
- Published: 2026-10-24T23:10:17+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-24T23:22:15+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-16235993/Fury-Green-Party-activist-BBC-Jewish-woman.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Art, Culture, World

## Key points

- Ashok Kumar and Rachel Cunliffe clashed over Zionism on Politics Live.
- Critics accused the BBC of giving Kumar too much latitude.
- Kumar said he opposes violence against civilians.

## Summary

A Green Party activist and professor, Ashok Kumar, clashed with Jewish journalist Rachel Cunliffe on the BBC’s Politics Live while discussing a motion describing Zionism as racism. The exchange drew criticism after Kumar accused Cunliffe of antisemitism when she challenged his remarks, and interrupted her as she tried to explain her response.

Labour Against Antisemitism criticised the BBC for inviting Kumar and said he had been allowed to attack a Jewish guest’s account of her identity and experiences. The BBC said it gives a range of political voices a platform and scrutinises their views. Kumar later said he did not support Hamas or condone violence against civilians; he described a social media post saying the programme’s participants “looked like they were about to cry” as a figure of speech.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.