How the BBC buried the story: MI5 attack on Left-wing paper's leaks played down BBC downplays MI5 chief's scathing condemnation of The Guardian Newsnight editor is former Guardian executive Ian Katz 'They appear to be protecting Left-wing friends' - Tory MP Left-wing friends: Newsnight editor Ian Katz MI5"s scathing criticisms of The Guardian newspaper were underplayed by the BBC, it was claimed last night. The corporation's flagship current affairs show Newsnight, which is edited by former Guardian executive Ian Katz, failed to report spy chief Andrew Parker's speech on Tuesday. Other BBC reports, including the News at Ten, online articles and radio bulletins, referred to his speech but made no mention of his key claim that the Left-leaning newspaper had done "enormous damage." Tory MP Conor Burns, who sits on the culture, media and sport committee, said: "It is extraordinary that the biggest security story for a generation wasn't deemed worthy of comment by the BBC's leading investigative news programme. There seems to be a clear conflict of interest when its editor has so recently taken the Guardian's shilling. The whole tone of the BBC's coverage of this issue seems to indicate clear editorial bias. They appear to be protecting their Left-wing friends. The BBC did not change its online coverage to reflect the row until Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger publicly defended his newspaper yesterday. He appeared on Radio 4"s World at One programme, where he was largely unchallenged, to say his paper's coverage had prompted "necessary debate." Only then did the BBC update its online news articles to reflect the Guardian's critical role in the leaks with the headline, "Guardian to publish more Snowden intelligence revelations." Before joining Newsnight last month, Mr Katz worked for the Guardian for 23 years and served as its deputy editor. Mr Parker made his speech at the Royal United Services Institute in Whitehall on Tuesday. His unambiguous warnings about "terrorists" contrasted with the BBC's reluctance to use the word in its reports. The corporation was criticised during its coverage of the recent Kenyan massacre for describing the perpetrators as "militants." Debate: Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger. The BBC ignored the MI% chief's criticism of the paper The Mail's coverage of Andrew Parker's speech Although the speech was covered by the BBC's News at Ten on Tuesday, it ignored Mr Parker's criticisms of the Guardian. Instead, reporter Gordon Corera chose to focus on Mr Parker's general warnings that the security of the UK was under threat and made no reference to the newspaper. At 10.30pm, Newsnight chose to ignore the subject. Surprisingly, the current affairs show did find time to screen an interview with Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon. Fury: The spy chief: MI5 director-general Andrew Parker has blasted the Guardian's publication of Britain's espionage capabilities Online, the BBC news website's main article on Mr Parker's speech - written by security correspondent Frank Gardner - also glossed over Mr Parker's criticisms. Entitled "MI5 chief Andrew Parker warns of Islamist threat to UK," it made only a passing reference to the role of the Guardian in the affair. The following morning, news bulletins on BBC Radio 4 failed to mention the newspaper at all. Tory MP Rob Wilson said: "The Guardian is being accused of putting the safety of the public in danger, but the BBC has done virtually nothing to inform its own licence fee payers about it. The behaviour and the regulation of the Press is once again in the public eye, but the BBC is in danger of presenting a very partial and distorted view of the behaviour of newspapers. A BBC spokesman said the fact Mr Katz used to work for the Guardian had "absolutely no bearing" on his editorial judgment. He added: "Newsnight didn't cover the story on Tuesday because it was covered thoroughly on the News at Ten and we didn't feel we could add significantly to that coverage, and because Newsnight devoted 30 minutes to a report, interview and debate about many of the same issues last week. This is an on-going story which BBC News has covered as it developed, including the criticisms from Andrew Parker, and we will continue to cover it.