What does ​Emily Maitlis's Brexit eye-roll really mean?

Amid the endless news coverage of Brexit, some commentators have said the BBC Newsnight presenter’s exasperation during interview with Labour's Barry Gardiner summed up the national mood
Subscribe to Guardian News on KZbin ► bit.ly/guardianwiressub
Support the Guardian ► support.theguardian.com/contr...
Today in Focus podcast ► www.theguardian.com/news/seri...
The Guardian KZbin network:
The Guardian ► / theguardian
Owen Jones talks ► bit.ly/subsowenjones
Guardian Football ► is.gd/guardianfootball
Guardian Sport ► bit.ly/GDNsport
Guardian Culture ► is.gd/guardianculture

[@patrickfarrell5092]

She's frustrated with the BS from all sides. Could anyone blame her?

[@jameswhite6112]

Newsflash,Emily maitlis has been shortlisted for this year's kalergi coudenhove medal by the EU.

[@rahulkemp8347]

im not gayyyy

[@rugbyjames3718]

“What is your plan” “To have a plan”

[@rhodriwilliams2599]

“What is your plan for brexit?” “Our plan is to make a plan for brexit as the people voted for” “so you haven’t got a plan?” “No we don’t have a plan”

[@georginapreston7315]

Rhodri Williams we voted out we didnt vote for a deal just out, this should not be taking over 2 years

[@alftupper9359]

Rhodri Williams It would have been so much better for you had he said that. As things stand, they're your words only. But well done.

[@davidheseltine85]

The Labour membership will decide what is on the manifesto. That's how it works now. Eye roll all you want Emily.

[@Carrot196]

@J Scotland Nah you're alright

[@kinglicks5646]

How did that work out for you in the end, oh i forgot a massive tory majority lmfao

[@fessellsahmed2587]

Brexit vote had happened. Victory was in the bag but no second referendum it is. Is there an opposition party in uk???

[@sillygoose635]

@@kinglicks5646 not doing too well, aye?

[@Iybraesil]

@@kinglicks5646 Still think it's going well?

[@WestdalAndHayward]

I don’t know but she ought to be careful, with an eye roll like that she could reverse the Earths rotation!

[@crazybear213]

Love it! Can’t beat the eye roll!

[@poisonouscouscous]

My face when a tv licence bill arrives in the post.

[@simonarnold5212]

Brilliant! She reflected how the nation was feeling. I wonder what she was writing?

[@johnc3403]

That's her shopping list, she was adding tampons and painkillers to the list!

[@Poobell1]

Oh gosh this didn’t age well

[@paulgibbons2320]

Zahawi certainly has pulled his hair out. 'Let me be absolutely clear' - We are clueless.- Maitlis is Brexit eye roll denotes her frustration with the Labour Partys never ending capacity to ignore the reality of it.

[@Trylk1138]

It means she’s an opinionist not a journalist

[@johnturner4400]

Andrew Cragg. We all have an opinion

[@edism]

@@johnturner4400 you don't say... The point is she isn't being professional with hers.

[@Oh4Chrissake]

John Pilger makes his opinion known in all his writing and documentaries. Is he not a journalist? Cambridge English Dictionary: journalist noun [ C ] uk ​ /ˈdʒɜː.nə.lɪst/ us ​ /ˈdʒɝː.nə.lɪst/ ​ _a person who writes news stories or articles for a newspaper or magazine or broadcasts them on radio or television._ I can't see anything there about not giving one's own view.

[@chriswilde7246]

Lets be honest, she's probably sick of hearing the same old bollox, after all, she is Human, it would do anyone's head in!! Lol.

[@madamluis2537]

Andrew Cragg it’s called having a personality

[@chome4]

It means: 'The things I've got to put up with for a six-figure salary that usually involves reading a teleprompter in a warm studio'!

[@cowboyjoefrommexico-elsete3434]

Ping Pong Well, if so many people are stupid enough to continue to pay the license fee!

[@davida1b2c3d4c5]

It means that she can't act in a professional manner. She didn't get an answer she wanted, so she did what amounted to a small tantrum.

[@danielr4774]

She didn't get the answer everyone's been asking for 3 years. In that context, the eye rolling is approriate.

[@davida1b2c3d4c5]

@@danielr4774 Next she will be showing the palm of her hand to the interviewee and saying, "Talk to the hand, 'coz this face ain't listening!" I hope you are not a parent if you find eye-rolling quite so acceptable. It's childish, churlish and shuts down debate. Do you roll your eyes like that at people? Do you find it acceptable for others to do it to you?

[@danielr4774]

@@davida1b2c3d4c5 Well let's take the idea of context a bit further. This wasn't set in a studio, and it wasn't a debate. It was an informal discussion among 3 people. Politics is animated. If you want it to be cold and utilitarian, move to Brussels.

[@danielr4774]

With regard to being eye rolled - if I was as useless and duplicitous as Watson and getting paid huge sums every year to be so, you could swing me by my pigtails Miss Trunchbull style for I could care.

[@davida1b2c3d4c5]

@@danielr4774 "It was an informal discussion among 3 people" Really? I though she was a journalist recording an item for TV and that she had the points she wished to make prepared on paper (which she can clearly be seen crossing through).

[@lorimercampbell301]

This woman (Emily) is reported to earn more than £220, 000 per year, like over £18, 000 a month. Outrageous, why are we paying this massive sum of money, for what? Do let me know if this sum is wrong, but I suspect not.

[@rcb0683]

What has any of that got to do with the video?

[@kinglicks5646]

Because that is her market value, although i would guess she could earn more elsewhere. No matter what you feel about her views, she is extremely intelligent.

[@amaninthestreet8002]

I bet she rolled her eyes like this when someone asked her if she could move her dog off the train seat. SO ENTITLED these London elites.

[@thomi.k]

Her eyeroll describes the mood of: The brits regarding Brexit, The EU regarding the Brits‘ plan for Brexit, Europe regarding Trump, The Brits regarding the nasty weather in Britain, Trump regarding the rule of law, Manafort regarding a suit that is not made from ostrich, people when they hear „the Kardashians announced...“, people regarding people who order pineapple pizza, me, when the website says incorrect password after I typed it for the forth time, climate deniers, when people say the ice is melting, anti-vaccination moms when their child dies from measles.

[@blazedandconfused477]

Trump is hilarious.

[@Frack_Black]

Thomas.... Nailed all of em.

[@Evan490BC]

@@blazedandconfused477 Yeah, he's a good comedian, I wish he was a good _president_ as well, or even a decent one.

[@blazedandconfused477]

@@Evan490BC What's the difference? They're all horrible war criminals. Might as well get some laughs out of it.

[@Evan490BC]

@@blazedandconfused477 Define "they".

[@ome69]

Watched this live and thought she was very rude to him compared to the other two MPs. A few times I thought it was very clear she sided with the MP on his right. I was genuinely surprised by her interviewing at the time as it was far from impartial looking and I normally find her quite nice.

[@ravenwolf2220]

She was probably just very frustrated... I know I would be

[@Tom-vy3cb]

The entire media establishment have tried to bring Brexit down but it hasent worked

[@abubakardouglas8268]

I agree she clearly doesn't like Barry Gardener and his awkward style, but she savaged him and let the others have a free run.

[@glowwurm9365]

@@Tom-vy3cb neither has Brexit, what a cluster it’s turned out to be…

[@AbsoluteTiger]

Because she admitted she was being paid and scripted to attack the left

[@bazjoan]

What's the point of this short please ?

[@angelareele858]

To gaze upon the glorious blond locks of the heavenly Emily Maitlis

[@giman3752]

That shes lying ?

[@dorjeboleskine4115]

That she votes Tory, clearly.

[@MrJames1994UK]

Dorje Boleskine Because every politician who squirms their way out of answering questions is a Tory. So journalists shouldn’t challenge MP’s on their policies? It’s not much to ask for opposition parties to put forward a basic policy decision when they pick apart the policy of those in government.

[@johnmoore9862]

It shows she lacks neutrality & professionalism.

[@themightydash1714]

It means she is NOT an impartial journalist. Simple.

[@countercorps]

The Mighty Dash “impartial”, being blind to the shambolock state of affairs that British politics is in isn’t being non bias, false neutrality leads to terrible journalism

[@peregrineslim4446]

@@countercorps Maitlis is a Fox News/BBC hybrid and very undesirable development in journalism.

[@DividedKingdom]

No one at the bbc is

[@stevedean6429]

I share her frustration. Barry Gardiner was waffling as was Zahari . A front bench opposition of Blair , Brown, Darling , Balls and David Milliband would take this lot to the cleaners !

[@alftupper9359]

It means her asking the speaker for his opinion was really a bit of a ritual. She has no intention of allowing him to form his argument fully.

[@meirionowen5979]

My memory's partially triggered--Alf Tupper was a character in a comic of the 60s or 70s. But that's all I can remember, please remind me.

[@sillygoose635]

not true.

[@tbone7822]

Maitlis showing how we all feel today...

[@dantory1]

Don't normally like Emily Maitlis but her reaction is what many people feel in the country.

[@camerongreenlees7208]

what don't you like about her?

[@Kingcarparpeggio]

Probably that she’s still breathing !!

[@planespeaking]

She was looking at the monitors

[@TheManToby]

No one had a plan

[@andrewmogg591]

Labour's Bumbling Barry explaining Labour's not yet decided position (s) on Brexit.

[@markrainford1219]

She could get a job in a Punch and Judy show.

[@13strange67]

What Eye-roll ? !

[@NuisanceMan]

It means that, like most people in the British media, Maitlis is rude, condescending, and biased against Labour.

[@jamesthornton5815]

Well the members of the Labour party need to talk some sense.

[@NuisanceMan]

@mhffc If you think saying the Murdoch-infested, Tory-endorsing British media are biased in favor of Labour is sarcasm, you seriously need to wake up and smell the corporate domination. Of course, this is the BBC... which is usually biased in favor of whoever has been in power for a while, which is still the Tories.

[@NuisanceMan]

@mhffc There is a significant minority of the British media that is LIBERAL, but only a small minority of it is LEFT. The Guardian has been pro-austerity, albeit a lite version, and was initially very anti-Corbyn, for example. But the right-wing papers have far more readership than the liberal ones. The BBC is very hostile to Corbyn and the left. For that matter, CNN is hostile to the left, too. The corporate media supports the interests of corporations - the few, not the many. It's really not very subtle. However, if you think that being anti-Brexit means being on the left, then you can get confused. The fact is, the EU is dominated by far-right corporate interests. It doesn't look like the people's right, but it's right-wing nonetheless. But people have gotten so confused on this issue that the support from Brexit comes more from the right. What's needed is a Brexit for the many, and a coming together against corporate domination - regardless of whether people have thought of themselves as left-wing or right-wing. Because that is what the left, the TRUE left, really is.

[@andrewjones-productions]

@mhffc If you are unaware that the United Kingdom is made up of four countries and is NOT called England, then your opinions are disqualified.

[@ptb2008]

The BBC and practically every other news station in the UK are PRO REMAIN. One little eye roll and you are screaming.

[@Jide-bq9yf]

Poor Barry Gardner ; first time I’ve found Nadiin Zahari endearing though.

[@kiernanwalker3852]

Strange use of the word 'endearing'

[@Jide-bq9yf]

@@kiernanwalker3852I must have been in a near saintly mood, that’s my only excuse .

[@MrSEAN2112]

The Tories own this shitshow, Emily. No one else.

[@lawrencecanney3137]

Of course we're not sure what was discussed before the interview.

[@bostaurus1]

The title is pro maitlis

[@rolandthe]

101,000 views.... This is whats wrong with us human beings, ... Smart phones will ruin society, not big conspiracies or useless political parties

[@smokeymcgee7585]

You probably wrote this comment on a smartphone and you watched this video, so i guess you are whats wrong with society too.

[@JZ0UK]

It is exactly what one expects from the BBC.....

[@gavinwood2199]

mhffc please post your example of BBC fawning over labour. I must have missed it. Sure you didn't mean 'sneering'?

[@alanfurlong-drummer4419]

Thats pretty rude and non-professional.

[@PaulWelsh]

Aye quite right. Leave the eye rolling to your viewers!

[@andrewjones-productions]

The thick idiot deserved it. She asked him a clear question and he started to wax lyrical. She attempted to confirm his answer by asking if that was what would be on their leaflet and he immediately backtracked and started to waffle. If you know you are going to be asked tough questions on a current affairs programme, you should damn well have your answers thought out and ready. The fact that he could not explain clearly is the real rudeness. Barry Gardiner, or anyone else for that matter, aren't really speaking to the journalist in front of them but rather they are speaking to the general public. Gardiner is a senior member of the Labour Party. Therefore, he should be fully aware of what the Labour policies are. The truth of the matter is that Crafty Corbyn has probably not shared his vision with anyone and is as always, keeping things close to his chest. The same applies to Muddling May and her bunch of cronies. When will these stupid politicians (and many of the public too) realise that these tough questions are not attacks on the programme guests but opportunities for them to blow the questions out of the sky with clear, convincing answers. It's the answers to these questions that we are supposed to evaluate, not the questions themselves.

[@RickP2012]

The BBC got rid of any professional people about 20 years ago.

[@rogerthorley2888]

‘You really still don’t know what you would do?’

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

Emily is so over their bs

[@xaviersariceable]

Here we go with more bla bla bla.🙄🙄🙄😬😬

[@marineboy1964]

Emily and Sarah Shocking For there own self interest

[@fessellsahmed2587]

That's the moment Labour decided they didnt take the easiest chance ever to win the election. A 5 years old would have said Brexit.

[@animalian01]

I'm no fan of her, the meaning was obvious 'just say what you stance is'

[@lw1zfog]

did Zahawi ever address his non declaration to Parliement, of his role as chair at the super shady ‘Le Cercle’ ? Asking for a friend.

[@jayeevee1693]

how incredibly rude

[@paulnewman9275]

The most objectionable BBC employee and there are lots of them - objectionable ones that is !

[@tmckboston417]

Serpent 💯%

[@andrewsmyth6237]

She is the worst presenter and interviewer every. How is she not fired?

[@Avacados-rw8pb]

How is Cummings not fired?

[@padraigomadain6681]

Gingerflamingo because Cummings was in a sealed car. It was deemed essential and would you rather he hired childcare to then risk the carer family? He put his own family at risk to minimize contact tracing..., which was a sacrifice on his part. So stop with the stupid comment and why were all the paps not fired? Why aren’t people who travel miles to work not prosecuted? You sound like an Arab who’d chop a child’s hand off for stealing apples.

[@Wannop]

Padraig Madagain how do the boots taste?

[@twoeyedjack6836]

"Literally pulling their hair out" surely not

[@hudyerwheeshtfeechies5019]

Marty Feldman in a blond Wig

[@itstherevolution]

Classic

[@misterdavidlister]

Emily Maitlis's is a great BBC news reporter.

[@bolovhalka2994]

Should Iceland join the EU now? (Just joking, sorry)

[@Evan490BC]

I don't know, ask the Danes or the Swedes.

[@chriswilde7246]

Of course they should!! Definitely, their be missing out! If they join, it might take the flak off us? :0/

[@LearnEnglishwithJames.]

That was so unprofessional of her

[@freespirit3818]

She's so rude! Eyes roll but we are out she must be so peed off 🤣

[@wallybingbang4350]

Eye roll - greatest indicator of impending divorce

[@jjstewart2120]

Her Loyaltys lie elsewhere far away

[@jjstewart2120]

You should tune in to a four part al-jazera doc it might open your blind eyes and shut your rude mouth .

[@funkydesign]

Go emy go 😂😂😂

[@walterrankin4965]

BBC is part key funded by the EU ???

[@allways28]

BBC impartiality at it finest

[@peregrineslim4446]

It means Little Miss Sniffles lacks the professionalism and impartiality to work for the BBC.

[@normansmith8184]

You got 40 odd seconds of eyeroll and the usual immediate maitliss interruptions. That was over a year ago never mind the recent lunatic rant about Dominic Cummings. If a politician had been guilty of this she would be the lead voice in demanding their resignation. So why has she still got a job?

[@355PH]

Beautiful beautiful elegant British lady 😊😊

[@windymiller6908]

Not sure if she's beatiful, but there's something seriously attractive about her.

[@juj298]

You need to go to spec savers.

[@windymiller6908]

@@juj298 A big yawn to that one!

[@juj298]

😜🤣🤣

[@windymiller6908]

@@juj298 😍😁

[@spartacusforlife1508]

Is this how journalists now behave? Instead of over acting ask the damn questions in a cool and calm fashion. Remember you are not the story and your point of view is not wanted

[@surfaceten510n]

Just listened to this no mark skid mark Gardiner on LBC Nick FErrari's show what a complete tool talks a lot without saying anything obviously chosen as a spokesperson for his Tory sounding voice as Labour knows the old E By Gum approach don't work on the new middle class Labour voters.

[@joeowenstalkingsense4439]

Something very creepy about Emily Maitlis.

[@kinglicks5646]

You mean sexy!

[@adama-k2710]

Smug tax dodger Zahawi

[@TheRowlandstone73]

I wouldn't mind making her eyes roll.

[@shrimpy8188]

Maitlistein.

[@MrJonnySL]

The eye-roll, sigh and exasperated note taking means this politician is unable to answer her question.

[@ThatPixelGuy]

He said he has no plan whatsoever and everyone is slating her for rolling her eyes? Would you not do the same??

[@nigels9500]

Arrogance beyond belief. She has shown herself to be jo coburn : light !!

[@trevorfoyle4307]

I think Emily is a very intelligent and attractive woman and I would love to enjoy a coffee with her. ( probably not in Wetherspoons! )

[@alan36753]

Impartial es ever

[@karlconnolly3994]

Reminiscent of Fox News ...impartiality in journalism is essential...she crossed a line ...keep your opinions to yourself.

[@peregrineslim4446]

Maitlis brilliant at steering MPs back to the question? She asked a question about an election next week, an absurdity, then criticised Gardiner by describing policy as a mere leaflet!

[@DropdudeJohn]

What it means is the rampit rabbit she was sitting on just turned up a notch

[@peterallison4464]

At one time i did have some respect for Emily Maitlis but after seeing the interview with Hungarian Foreign Minister. It is now totally obvious she is the same as most parliamentary MP's with absolutely no grasps of the really of the average British working people or of other opinions other than her own that she assumes are righteous and so so correct. Well Emily you are so wrong it is being proven so as she interviewed. Yep from now on i will be politically incorrect and i do not give a F~~~ what other people think. We are now reaping the long term effects of having that parasitic Empire , Commonwealth SORRY "Connmanwealth" ! Long live the Queen.

[@rafthejaf8789]

"It's not made up at all, people are literally tearing their hair out..." Anyone who wants uses literally in that way is an idiot. Emily Maitlis definitely certainly is!

[@mushypeasplease8872]

My friend runs a business that relies heavily on no friction border/trade with eu. He is literally tearing his hair out (amongst other symptoms of unresolved stress) and has been put on anti anxiety medication. His whole livelihood is on the line. And that of his employees. So yes some people are tearing their hair out due to brexit mismanagement by these repulsive incompetent slimy politicians. They are not fit for purpose. The ignorance of what's at stake isn't only amongst the general public it's amongst politicians too. And that's criminal.

[@kevintwine2315]

Typical BBC reporting,shameful

[@petermulligan8448]

Emily Maitlis = bully

[@prosimulate]

Plan "B"rexit to Plan "C"rashexit.

[@edwardmclaughlin7935]

Simple: means she's not getting any.

[@Bromley68]

This is not the first time her interviewing technique is questionable. I find her a thoroughly disagreeable woman

[@markgill7651]

Not a nice women, biast beyond belief, total waste of a correspondent, Biast

[@betterthantelly2993]

You don't have to be intelligent.

[@peregrineslim4446]

So Little Miss Nautical thinks there'll be a General Election next week? And given this won't happen next week, what kind of question is this to Gardiner?

[@swagon4545]

She's talks to much, I can't stand this woman.. what do you expect from the BBC like always.. she's always putting U KIP down..just remember who pay your wages. She always puts down the working class down...

[@atuls55]

What's Barry Gardiner got to do with UKIP? He's the opposite of UKIP so you should be glad she's putting him down.

[@antonysmyth2464]

Time to move the interviewer on to other stories, lIke school lunches. She is a very old style that I for one am tired of, as it entertains but does not find truth.

[@stud105]

She's a nobody, who cares.

[@peregrineslim4446]

Some commentators are probably trying to save her job at the BBC, but can we have the names of this gang of unprofessional conduct advocates?

[@peregrineslim4446]

@Attilla The Brit A Gilbert and Sullivan 'little list', tovarisch.

[@RoskinGreenrake]

Quick!! let's have some Syrians or Africans replace all of these bozos, her included as just look at her, even scribbling away like she's putting him on the naughty list

[@markgill7651]

We are coming out of eu gradually you don’t like it, but it’s the wish of true uk citizen,s a democratic vote emily, 🇬🇧🇬🇧🙏🏻 so shush up 🇬🇧🇬🇧👍🏻

[@peteradams408]

Blow the eu up now.

[@leejohnson6975]

It means she’s an activist not a journalist

[@misterdavidlister]

Emily Maitlis's is a great BBC news reporter.