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Culture secretary calls for urgent review of BBC bias claims
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has warned the BBC must address "very serious allegations" of systemic bias, following revelations that a Panorama documentary misrepresented a 2021 speech by Donald Trump through selective editing. The controversy emerged after The Telegraph published a leaked internal memo alleging the programme stitched together two distant segments of Trump's January 6, 2021 address to falsely imply he directly incited the Capitol riot.
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Nandy emphasized the gravity of the claims, stating the most "serious" accusation centers on "systemic bias in the way difficult issues are reported" at the broadcaster. She expressed confidence in BBC Chair Samir Shah and Director-General Tim Davie to handle the fallout but demanded transparency, noting she would review Shah's upcoming response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee-expected Monday-before determining further steps.
How the Trump speech was altered
The leaked memo, authored by former BBC editorial standards adviser Michael Prescott, revealed that the 2023 documentary Trump: A Second Chance?-produced by October Films Ltd-merged two parts of Trump's speech separated by over 50 minutes. The edit made it appear Trump urged supporters to "fight like hell" while announcing his march to the Capitol, when in reality:
- The phrase "We're going to walk down to the Capitol" occurred early in the speech, referencing a planned protest.
- The "fight like hell" remark came later, during a segment about alleged election fraud, where Trump used "fight" or "fighting" 20 times in total.
The BBC is expected to issue an apology for the misleading edit, though the corporation has not yet commented publicly on the memo's specifics.
Broader concerns over BBC impartiality
Nandy highlighted two "primary concerns" about the BBC's editorial practices:
- Inconsistent standards: "Decisions about language and editorial guidelines are often left to individual journalists," she said, calling for stricter oversight to ensure uniformity and "the highest standards."
- Blurring of news and opinion: She warned the BBC risks contributing to a "dangerous environment" where audiences struggle to distinguish fact from "polemic," eroding public trust.
"What tends to happen at the BBC is that [editorial] decisions... are entirely inconsistent. It doesn't always meet the highest standards, and often it's left to individual journalists to make decisions."
Lisa Nandy, UK Culture Secretary
Other recent controversies
The Panorama scandal is the latest in a series of impartiality disputes involving the BBC:
- BBC Arabic: Prescott's memo also flagged alleged "systemic problems" in the outlet's coverage of the Israel-Gaza war, per The Telegraph. The BBC acknowledged past errors but claimed it had "improved processes" to prevent recurrences.
- Trans issues: Reports suggest Prescott raised concerns about biased reporting, though details remain undisclosed.
- "Pregnant people" script row: On Thursday, the BBC upheld 20 impartiality complaints against presenter Martine Croxall, who replaced the phrase "pregnant people" with "women" during a live broadcast. The Executive Complaints Unit ruled her facial expression while doing so conveyed a "personal view" on a "controversial matter."
BBC response and next steps
A BBC spokesperson told The Telegraph the corporation had "acknowledged mistakes" and taken "action" where errors occurred, including barring certain contributors. Shah's testimony to the select committee on Monday is expected to address both the Panorama edit and broader bias allegations.
Nandy reiterated she would "consider [Shah's] response carefully" before deciding whether further intervention is needed, adding: "I expect them to grip these issues-because trust in the BBC matters."
