Boris Johnson and figures linked to him are participating in an effort to undermine the leadership of the BBC, the fear of a memo criticizing the reporting of Donald Trump, Trans Adults and Gaza.
Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, and other senior editorial staff were pressured after the criticisms made of the Edhael document by its Editorial Committee (EGSC).
The culture of the Parliament, the Committee on Media and Sport that demanded to know the response of the BBC to the memo, setting Monday as a deadline. The BBC’s board has compiled its response.
However, insiders believe the leak of the Daily Telegraph memo and the subsequent criticism of Johnson is part of a concerted attempt to stop the government from reforming it.
Johnson told the Telegraph that Davie “must explain or resign” over the memo’s claims. He said the BBC had been “caught red-handed by many acts of left-wing bias”.
Concerns have previously been raised about the role of Robbie Gibb, who joined the BBC board when Johnson was on Down Street.
GIBB was Theresa’s director of communications during her tenure as prime minister and helped launch the right news Channel GB News.
Guardian sources said Gibb helped appoint Prescott as an adviser to the EGSC. They have been reported before as friends. Prescott left his advisory role at the BBC in the summer.
Johnson said the idea there was an effort to undermine the leadership of the BBC was “Complete and Binter Bollocks”.
“I’m not talking to someone [Gibb or Prescott] – or communicated with either in any way – for many years, “he said.” The first I heard was Michael Prescott’s report. The panorama of the panorama is breathtaking. Why don’t you try to establish how and why it happened rather than making something wildly bad? “
Gibb was approached for comment, but the Guardian referred to the BBC. A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC board is made up of 13 members, five of whom are appointed by the government including editorial standards.
“[The editorial adviser roles] was advertised externally as part of the BBC’s open and fair competition process, and Michael Prescott was interviewed by a panel of board members who made the joint decision to appoint him. “
Gibb was on a four-person panel that interviewed Price.
Prescatot has also been contacted for comment.
In his memo, reported by the Telegraph, Prescript said:
Prescatot is set to appear before the Commons culture, Media and Sport Committee soon.
Rupa Huq, one of the MPS on the Committee, said that this kind of appearance is not normal. He tweeted that it “Remarkable for a one-man panelespecially if they are partisan figures”.
Much will now rest on the response of the BBC’s board, of which Gibb is also a member. There are some concerns among people close to the BBC that the board is set up to promote the BBC’s commercial activities, rather than being an expert on editorial issues.
Some figures concerned by the BBC’s criticism believe they were involved in the trials, which date back to the Johnson era on the right.
The Prescott memo led to criticism from senior conservatives. The Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, said “heads need to move” on the corporation. Johnson posted on Social Media last week: “Will the BBC be held accountable – and resign?”
Prescott’s main criticism of Price’s memo was in an edition of Panorama, which was broadcast every week before the US election. He accused the BBC of choosing to edit a speech by Donald Trump to make it appear that he was clearly encouraging an attack on the US Capitol.
A leaked clip suggested Trump told the crowd: “We’re going to the Capitol and I’m going to be with you, and we’re going to fight like hell.” The words were taken from sections of his speech about an hour apart.
Prescatot also raised concerns about BBC Arabic. He claimed that a review by the BBC’s Wallyist David Grossman highlighted “systemic problems within BBC Arabic” which represented an Anti-Israel bias. He added that insufficient action was taken after Grossman’s report.
It is trusted. Minutes to An EGSC meeting in Marchin which the findings of Grossman’s report are discussed, it is said that “significant changes in structure and management have recently been made in the report of many actions that have been implemented.”
A spokesman for the BBC said: “In relation to BBC News Arabic, where mistakes have been made or are also recognized should be the reasons that should be avoided.”
The BBC said it had stopped having figures quoted by Prescott as expressing antisemolic views.
In 2021, the Johnson government was accused of creating a conflict of interest after appointing Prescott to help choose the next chair of OFCOM, the UK media regulator. He was appointed as a senior external interviewer for the paper. The Johnson government is pushing for the OfCom Job to go to Paul Dacre, the former editor of the Daily Mail.
At the time, a government spokesman responded to SECECTTED for saying: “The recruitment process for the President of Scomect approved by independent panels.”
Gibb has previously been accused of trying to prevent a senior editorial appointment on political grounds. He is accused of trying to stop Jess Brammar, the former editor of Huffpost UK and Deputy Editor of BBC Newsnight, from a role in charge of BBC channels.
A BBC spokesman said at the time that “as a general principle, board members are able to discuss issues with other board members or principles that are adhered to”.