𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The BBC has been ordered to tell Parliament why it apparently misled viewers over a speech by Donald Trump. MPs have set the broadcaster a deadline of Monday, November 10, to explain claims that it edited a speech by the US President to make it look like he encouraged violence in Washington on January 6, 2021.

In a speech after losing the 2020 US Presidential election, Mr Trump said: “We’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down, we’re going to walk down. Anyone you want, but I think right here, we’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.”

But a BBC report at the time edited the comments to add in comments made by Mr Trump 54 minutes later, and showed Mr Trump saying: “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country any more.”

Critics say it gave a false impression that Mr Trump directly encouraged a riot that took place at the US Capitol building, the seat of the US Congress, later that day.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to BBC Chair Samir Shah to ask what action is being taken.

The letter asks for the Committee to be provided with the full report previously provided to the BBC board by former BBC Editorial Advisor Michael Prescott, which outlined concerns about the way in which the speech was edited for an episode of the BBC’s Panorama programme, and also raised concerns about the BBC’s reporting of the war in Gaza.

MPs also demanded the actions taken by the BBC in response to Mr Prescott’s report.

Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said: “The BBC clearly has serious questions to answer regarding both its editorial standards and the way in which concerns are handled by senior management. The corporation must set the benchmark for accurate and fair reporting, especially in a media landscape where it is all too easy to find news presented in a less-than-impartial way. The Committee needs to be reassured that those at the very top of the BBC are treating these issues with the seriousness they deserve and taking decisive steps to uphold the corporation’s reputation for integrity and public trust.”

Downing Street said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and senior officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have received a copy of Mr Prescott’s memo.

Ms Nandy “expects the corporation to report the news accurately and impartially” and to look into issues around “editorial standards thoroughly”, according to No 10.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said “heads should roll” over the “fake news”.

No 10 said it was up to the BBC to answer questions about its editorial decisions, and for regulator Ofcom to decide whether to investigate the issue.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman told reporters on Tuesday: “Senior officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have received a copy of the dossier and have been assured by the BBC that they themselves are examining the issues raised in the report.

“The Culture Secretary is also being kept updated with these developments.

“Fundamentally, it’s crucial that the BBC upholds the highest standards of reporting and impartiality, so it’s trusted as our national broadcaster.

“We take any criticisms of the BBC’s editorial standards very seriously. We expect the BBC to consider the feedback that they receive seriously and carefully.

“Because the BBC is independent of Government, it’s for the corporation to respond to questions about its editorial decisions.

“You’ll also know that Ofcom, not Government, is responsible for deciding whether to investigate such matters and for ensuring the BBC fulfils its obligations to audiences.”

The official added: “The Culture Secretary expects the corporation to report the news accurately and impartially, and she expects them to look into questions (about) editorial standards thoroughly, because that’s obviously important for the public’s trust.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch urged BBC director-general Tim Davie to fire the person responsible for the video.

She told GB News: “It’s absolutely shocking. That is fake news. Actually putting different things together to try and make something look different from what it actually was.

“And I do think heads should roll. Whoever it was who did that should be sacked.

“That’s what Tim Davie should be doing, identifying who put out misinformation and sacking them.

“The public need to be able to trust our public broadcaster…

“This is a corporation that needs to hold itself to the highest standards, and that means that when we see people doing the wrong thing, they should be punished, they should be sacked.”