The Prime Minister backed the BBC as the broadcaster admitted the speech was edited to give a false impression
Keir Starmer has spoken out about the BBC (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer has backed the BBC and insisted it was not “corrupt” or “institutionally biased” despite the resignation of two top executives in a row over its news reporting. BBC chairman Samir Shah has said the corporation would like to “apologise for that error of judgment” over the editing of a speech by Donald Trump for Panorama – and said he accepted that the speech was changed to give the misleading impression that Mr Trump called for violence.
However the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “On the question of is the BBC corrupt?: No. The BBC has a vital role in an age of disinformation… where there’s a clear argument for a robust, impartial British news service to deliver, and that case is stronger than ever. I think I’ve already addressed some of the comments that have been made over the last 24 hours, but we are of the view that it’s important that the BBC acts swiftly to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur.”
The spokesman was also asked if Sir Keir Starmer believed the BBC was institutionally biased, and replied: “No, but it is important that the BBC acts to maintain trust and correct mistakes quickly when they occur, because as I say, for any public service broadcaster, accountability is vital to maintain trust.”
The spokesman would not say whether the future of the BBC licence fee was on the table as part of a wider review of the broadcaster’s charter, which is due to begin this year.
Mr Shah’s apology follows the resignation of two of the corporation’s most senior figures on Sunday – chief executive of BBC News Deborah Turness and director-general Tim Davie – who announced their departure from the BBC after concerns were raised in Michael Prescott’s report.
Mr Prescott, who was independent adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board until June this year, highlighted a Panorama broadcast which edited together two separate sections of a speech by Donald Trump, to suggest the US President encouraged a riot in Washington in January 2021.
Speaking in Washington, Mr Trump said: “We are gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be with you. I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
But the BBC joined separate sections of the speech together, to make it appear that Mr Trump said: “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country anymore.” The fact that this footage involved separate sections of the speech was not explained to viewers.
Mr Prescott also criticised the BBC’s coverage of the conflict in Gaza, saying the broadcaster accepted claims made by people who supported Hamas terror attacks on October 7 2023 that killed 1,195 people. He said: “Claims against Israel seem to be raced to air or online without adequate checks, evidencing either carelessness or a desire always to believe the worst about Israel. The errors come thick and fast, sometimes with ‘eyewitness’ testimony from locals who have Tweeted in praise of the October 7 killings and worse.”
And Mr Prescott said some BBC journalists were practicing “effective censorship” by refusing to cover stories that raised “difficult questions” about transgender issues.
Mr Shah, who was responding to a letter from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS), said there have been more than 500 complaints since the publication of the memo. Referring to Donald Trump’s speech, he said: “We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
