By the left

Charles Moore - chairman of the innovative think-tank Policy Exchange - talks of the BBC's coverage of such organisations in his column for this week's Spectator:

It has three descriptions of think-tanks. One is 'respected'. This is only ever applied to a think-tank which tends to the left and represents the producer interest, such as the King's Fund. The second is 'independent'. The third is 'right-leaning' (the phrase 'left-leaning' is never used). If a report by Policy Exchange finds favour with the BBC, it is called 'independent'. If it is disapproved of, it is 'right-leaning'. One is not allowed to be respected, independent and right-leaning.