Dressing down

The rocky relationship between BBC DG Tim Davie and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is at its lowest ebb over matters Middle East. Was there previous ?  Lisa gave Auntie a big kicking over Huw Edwards, and may have been wondering where mid-April rumours about her competence came from. 

Glastonbury and Emily Eavis got their formal Bob Vylan apology out on Instagram on Sunday. Around lunchtime yesterday came the news that there was to be a Commons statement; clearly the BBC apology, issued at 11.15am, riled Ms Nandy enough to go and ask for Parliamentary time.  She got to her feet at 5.19pm, and piled into Davie in her responses.... 

"Those of us who believe in the importance of our national broadcaster are probably more angry than anybody about what has happened over the last few days. It is precisely because we understand the importance of the BBC that we know the BBC has to do better. He asked whether I am satisfied with the explanation that I have had so far. I am not. I have been very clear with the BBC leadership about that, and clear that I expect to get a full explanation immediately, without delay.

"I am not sure that we need an inquiry to establish that it should have been foreseeable that there would be problems with broadcasts this weekend, that the decision to broadcast live without any delay should have been reviewed, and that the live feed should have been pulled immediately when the chants of “death, death to the IDF” began. What I want to see from the BBC—I know the right hon. Gentleman shares this—is rapid action to ensure that this cannot happen again. I promise to update the House on these developments but I should also say that I am still expecting a response from the BBC about an earlier decision to broadcast a documentary about Gaza, which it was then discovered fell short of the BBC’s own editorial standards. I expect a response swiftly, and I expect action as well.

"As well as speaking to the director general of the BBC on Saturday, a number of officials have been in touch with the BBC’s senior leadership team. We have put to them a series of specific questions that we expect immediate answers on, and we will continue to press hard to ensure that they are forthcoming. I will of course update the House at the earliest opportunity, and I expect to speak to the chairman of the BBC in the coming days.