A good example of how the BBC is centred on the Westminster village and avoids giving coverage to MEPs was my treatment yesterday by BBC Newsnight.

The allegations about dubious payments by Arsenal FC to the Belgian Club Beveren was revealed on Newsnight yesterday and I, as a member of the Independent Review of Football (and knowing a thing or two about UEFA rules, Belgian football clubs and such like) had been invited to appear live on Newsnight. I duly cancelled my appearance at a meeting planned that evening as well as a dinner appointment, studied the detailed papers the BBC sent me on the case and prepared to go to their studio.

They were due to call me back to confirm which studio (Leeds or Bradford) I was to go to, but having not heard from them I rang them myself beforehand to check this final detail - only to be told that they had decided instead to take an MP rather than me as an MEP (but had not bothered to tell me about this change)!

So, despite this being a European issue, involving different EU countries, and despite it concerning UEFA rules and also despite me having served on the recent Independent Review of European Football, they preferred to stick to the Westminster village and scrap all the arrangements that they had agreed for me to comment on this matter.

Just two years ago, the BBC had an internal review of its coverage of European Affairs and decided that, although it was not biased for or against the European Union, it was insufficient in its depth and in the scope of its coverage. They pledged to improve their coverage of European matters and to increase their engagement with MEPs from all parties.

It did not take long for the Westminster village mentality to resume control! And, come the next European elections, they will be the first to say that nobody knows who the MEPs are!

Click here for more on Arsenal's links with Beveren.