Lisa Nandy slams ‘inconsistent’ BBC
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Donald Trump has hit out at “very dishonest” people in the BBC, as he welcomed director-general Tim Davie’s resignation after five years in the role.
Mr Davie stepped down following accusations that a BBC Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by Trump, making it appear that Trump was urging supporters “fight like hell” in the US Capitol building during a speech on 6 January 2021.
But it was only the latest in a series of controversies and scandals which have scarred the broadcaster in recent years, leading CEO of News Deborah Turness to step down alongside Mr Davie.
“The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught ‘doctoring’ my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday evening.
“Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’ These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election,” he added.
In a statement after his resignation, Mr Davie said there had “been some mistakes made and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility”, adding that the resignation was “entirely my decision”.
Analysis | The complaints which led to Davie’s resignation are questionable
Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger writes in The Independent:
The latest squall has arisen over a “dossier” apparently compiled by one Michael Prescott, a former journalist who worked for Rupert Murdoch, who had something of a ringside seat at the BBC for three years. He has questioned the editing of a Panorama programme on Donald Trump – which elides separate quotes to make it look like Trump said he would march on the Capitol and “fight like hell” with his supporters.
Prescott also has concerns about what he regards as an anti-Israel bias within the corporation, as well as its coverage of certain transgender issues.
Two of Prescott’s complaints seem particularly questionable. The first is that the Panorama editing was “completely misleading”. Prescott argues that the fact that Trump did not explicitly exhort supporters to fight at the Capitol was one of the reasons he wasn’t prosecuted.
But the Congressional committee that examined the day’s events in detail recommended criminal charges on the basis that Trump did indeed incite the attack on Congress – a verdict backed by the only federal district judge to consider the case. The Senate voted by 57 to 43 to impeach the former president, with seven Republicans backing the motion. So, while the way the film was edited was wrong, it’s not clear it was “misleading” in the way that Prescott argues.
Secondly, Prescott seems to have believed that an “equally aggressive” look at Kamala Harris should have been commissioned. He found it “shocking and alarming” that the aberrant behaviour of Trump should be singled out for especial scrutiny. But that suggests a bizarre notion of editorial equivalence. The deputy head of news, Jonathan Munro, was surely right to have dismissed Prescott’s idea of “due impartiality”.
Similarly, with criticism of the BBC over its coverage of Israel, there have been plausible and detailed critiques that suggest that the BBC is, contrary to Prescott’s own belief, actually biased in favour of Israel. But such analyses tend to sink without trace. Is this, in itself, a form of bias?
Alex Croft9 November 2025 22:20
Is BBC effective at being independent? Here’s what viewers say
The BBC is “ineffective” at being independent from the government, according to 38 per cent of its viewers.
The corporation surveyed 872,701 people in its Our BBC, Our Future questionnaire beginning in March. Some 91 per cent of respondents said it was important that the BBC is “independent from the government of the day”.
A total of 43 per cent of surveyed viewers said the media outlet was “effective” at doing so.
Alex Croft9 November 2025 21:58
Ofcom chief calls on BBC to ‘reflect’ on how to deliver for UK audiences
Dame Melanie Dawes, chief executive of Ofcom, said the BBC board would “now need to reflect on how it ensures that the BBC continues to deliver for UK audiences”.
In a statement, she said: “I’d like to thank Tim Davie for his contribution as director-general of the BBC. Over the past five years, Tim has led at a time of great change and challenge.
“The BBC is a strong and valued part of our media landscape and the BBC board will now need to reflect on how it ensures that the BBC continues to deliver for UK audiences.”
Alex Croft9 November 2025 21:39
Analysis | Criticism of the BBC is out of proportion – all media organisations screw up
Former editor of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, writes in The Independent before Tim Davie’s resignation:
Let’s accept that someone at the BBC made a clumsy error in editing some clips of Donald Trump addressing the crowd on 6 January 2021. And let’s acknowledge that the BBC has known for some time that there have been problems with aspects of its Arabic service. Worst-kept secret in the world: all media organisations occasionally screw up.
The Telegraph – which has revealed the BBC’s latest problems – is no more immune to making mistakes than any other news outlet. The difference is that, when its own editorial, ownership and ethical failings come to light, it doesn’t register nine on the Richter scale of public and political outrage. That’s reserved for the BBC.
Fair enough, you might say. We all contribute to the BBC’s journalism through the licence fee, and it enjoys a somewhat protected status within the UK’s media environment. That’s true. But the venom spat at the BBC on a near-daily basis by its ideological and commercial enemies is out of all proportion to its occasional lapses.
By all means, let’s have a debate about Prescott’s “dossier”, preferably unfiltered by The Telegraph. But let’s keep a sense of proportion about it all. And let’s find a governance structure for the BBC that equips it to handle complex editorial decisions robustly and expertly. The BBC is in a mess – but not necessarily the mess you think.
Alex Croft9 November 2025 21:20
Trump welcomes resignations of ‘very dishonest people’
Donald Trump has welcomed the resignation of “very dishonest” BBC director general Tim Davie.
The US president hit out at Mr Davie after he stepped down after an edited BBC Panorama clip that made it appear that Trump was urging supporters “fight like hell” in the US Capitol building on 6 January 2021.
“The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught “doctoring” my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’ These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election.
“On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!”
(REUTERS)
Alex Croft9 November 2025 21:06
Full report: Donald Trump’s press secretary celebrates after Tim Davie resigns as BBC director-general
The White House press secretary has mocked the BBC following Tim Davie’s resignation as director-general.
Mr Davie resigned on Sunday evening, along with CEO of News Deborah Turness, following criticism that a BBC Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by US president Donald Trump.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted screenshots of two news articles, one showing Trump criticising the BBC, captioned “shot”, and another regarding Tim Davie’s resignation, captioned “chaser”.
The BBC had been expected to apologise on Monday following concerns about impartiality, including how a speech by US president Donald Trump was edited in an episode of Panorama.
Alex Croft9 November 2025 21:01
BBC failed to recognise its own bias – James Cleverly
Former minister James Cleverly has accused the BBC of failing to “recognise its own bias”.
He said in a post on X: The #BBC’s problem was a failure to recognise its own bias. I raised issue this with senior BBC management on numerous occasions.
“Credulous reporting of Hamas propaganda as fact, selective editing of President Trump, not pulling the Bob Villain [Vylan] feed, the rebuke of Martine Croxall, etc etc
“They saw each ‘mistake’ as being in isolation and couldn’t or wouldn’t see a wider pattern.”
Alex Croft9 November 2025 20:48
Reminder: BBC set to apologise over edited Trump speech
Let’s take a look at our earlier report that the BBC was set to apologise for editing a speech made by US president Donald Trump in a Panorama episode after facing a backlash.
The corporation was accused of misleading viewers in a Panorama episode by selectively editing a speech made by Mr Trump ahead of the Capitol riots in 2021, according to a leaked memo.
The spliced footage showed Mr Trump urging his supporters to “fight like hell” before the riots, but omitted a section where he told the crowd “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard”.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC chairman will provide a full response to the culture, media and sport committee on Monday.”
Alex Croft9 November 2025 20:35
Critical moment for the BBC, says union boss
Philippa Childs, head of Bectu which represents workers in broadcasting and digital media, said: “Tim Davie has steered the BBC through some difficult times, and I thank him for his work to defend the corporation and support staff in a time of declining budgets, especially his work on the BBC’s Culture Review.
“This is a critical moment for the BBC as we head into a charter renewal process, and it is essential that this post is quickly filled with someone similarly committed to public service broadcasting who can champion the BBC’s mission, values and political independence.
“The BBC is a central pillar of our cultural ecosystem, the new director-general will have a huge role not only in leading the corporation and its many talented staff, but in driving forwards the wider creative industries which benefit from a strong and bold BBC.”
Alex Croft9 November 2025 20:23
Davey responds to White House claiming credit for Davie’s downfall
Ed Davey has criticised the White House after it claimed responsibility for Tim Davie’s resignation.
“I had my disagreements with the BBC under Tim Davie but he was a decent man doing a difficult job,” Mr Davey said in response to a post by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt which referenced President Trump’s recent criticism of the broadcaster.
“To see Trump’s White House claiming credit for his downfall and attacking the BBC should worry us all,” he added.
Alex Croft9 November 2025 20:12
