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MPs and BBC staff members have called for Robbie Gibb to be removed from the corporation’s board as outgoing director general Tim Davie hit out at the “weaponisation” of criticisms of the broadcaster.
In an online meeting with Davie, staff questioned the position of Gibb, Theresa May’s former communications chief who was appointed during Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister.
Several said Gibb and all political appointees should be removed from the body. It has been claimed that Gibb pushed accusations of institutional bias that preceded the shock resignation of Davie and Deborah Turness, the head of BBC News.
Their departures over the weekend followed accusations of bias made in a memo by Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee. He left that role in the summer.
His memo was leaked to the Daily Telegraph last week and reported over the course of several days.
It included criticism of the way Panorama broadcast edited footage of a Donald Trump speech, which has since led the US president to threaten a $1bn legal action. Prescott made a series of other claims of a more general liberal bias on issues such as trans rights and Gaza.
While the BBC has acknowledged failings, concern has grown over Gibb’s position on the board amid suggestions that he played a role in both pushing Prescott’s claims and in Prescott being awarded the advisory role. Both Gibb and Prescott have now been summoned to give evidence to the Commons culture, media and sport committee.
Thanking staff for their support at the meeting, Davie reassured them that the narrative around the corporation “will not just be given by our enemies” after a week in which senior politicians have accused the BBC of systemic bias in its reporting.
“I do hear everyone when we have to be very clear and stand up for our journalism,” he said. “We are in a unique and precious organisation. I see the free press under pressure. I see the weaponisation. I think we’ve got a fight for our journalism. I’m really proud of our work.”
Staff watching Davie’s address tried to raise the issue of Gibb’s place on the board. “Why is Robbie Gibb still on the board,” asked one.
“The board needs independent oversight free from political interference,” said another. “Until Robbie Gibb and any other political appointee are removed, we cannot possibly be truly trusted to be an unbiased organisation.”
Another said: “I find Robbie Gibb’s continued presence at the BBC to be incredibly demoralising. It feels as if he is fighting against and undermining the work we’re trying to do.”
MPs also called for Gibb to be removed. Labour MP Sarah Owen said it was time to review his place on the board.
Anna Sabine, the Liberal Democrat culture spokesperson, said it was “obvious to everyone that this issue is being weaponised by those who want to undermine the BBC and who would profit from its demise”. “Serious concerns remain over the conduct of Sir Robbie Gibb during his tenure on the BBC board,” she said, backing his removal.
Pete Wishart, from the SNP, also called for his departure.
However, Conservative MP Sir Julian Lewis said the “crisis had nothing to do with Robbie Gibb” and was entirely down to the mistakes the BBC had made. A corporation spokesperson said Gibb was one voice on a board of 13 people, which had a “cross-section of views”.
The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said there was a “strict legal threshold that must be met before dismissal of a board member”, adding that she could not remove Gibb. She condemned attempts to launch a “sustained attack” on the BBC.
Suggestions of a political effort to pressure the BBC from the right have been denied. In his letter, Prescott said his criticisms “do not come with any political agenda”.
In the all-staff meeting, Samir Shah, the BBC’s chair, said any idea of a rightwing coup to destabilise the BBC from within was “fanciful”.
“[Board members] have different points of view,” he said. “I wouldn’t want a board that’s guilty of groupthink, but the opposite of groupthink is different points of view. That makes the job of the chair challenging to try and organise and get consensus, but it’s important that people have a diversity of opinion on the board.”
