𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

BBC boss Tim Davie is facing mounting calls to resign over the broadcaster’s controversial Glastonbury coverage. Israel’s deputy foreign minister said heads must roll at the corporation, including the director-general’s, after it broadcast the antisemitic chant “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]” at the music festival.

Sharren Haskel’s demands came as the BBC made a grovelling apology for airing the incident during a live stream of a set by the rap duo Bob Vylan, saying: “With hindsight, we should have pulled the stream during the performance.” The corporation said it regretted broadcasting the words, adding: “The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. We welcome Glastonbury’s condemnation of the performance.” Police have launched a criminal investigation following the incident.

Ms Haskel said Mr Davie must take ultimate responsibility.

“This is literally someone calling for violence, for ethnic cleansing, for the destruction and the annihilation of the only Jewish state in the world,” she told The Daily T podcast.

“So if there’s no one that will take responsibility, if no one will be fired over such an outrageous thing, then I think that Tim Davie should take responsibility because there has to be accountability for that.”

Asked to clarify whether she was calling for the resignation of the director-general, who has been in post since 2020, she added: “If there’s no one responsible for that, and if no one’s going to be fired over such an outrageous thing, Tim Davie should take responsibility and resign.”

Ms Haskel also called for an investigation into the BBC’s coverage of the Middle East, claiming it has been “biased” and “mistakes” have been made.

The scandal has triggered renewed demands for the BBC licence fee to be axed.

Tory MP Matt Vickers described it as a “new low bar” for the Beeb, adding that “we probably need to put it out of its misery”.

Mr Vickers told Talk: “Every so many months, we have this debate about the BBC about what they are and aren’t broadcasting, how it lacks any form of political neutrality or independence.

“This has turned the dial again. We need to have a national debate again about the state of the BBC and we probably need to put it out of its misery.”

He added: “Somebody needs to be held to account, it’s all well and good issuing an apology but there needs to be action, we need to make sure that this cannot carry on.

“If it is going to carry on, they can go and form some Lefty channel somewhere, not at the cost of the taxpayer.”

The set remained on iPlayer for more than five hours before being removed by the BBC, although the corporation did issue a warning about “very strong and discriminatory language”.

In a statement, the BBC said: “Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC’s output but one performance within our live streams included comments that were deeply offensive. The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence.”

The statement added: “The performance was part of a live stream of the West Holts stage on BBC iPlayer. The judgement on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with our editorial guidelines. In addition, we took the decision not to make the performance available on demand.

“The team were dealing with a live situation but, with hindsight, we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.

“In light of this weekend, we will look at our guidance around live events so we can be sure teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep output on air.”

It comes after Ofcom announced an investigation into the BBC’s decision to air the performance.

The watchdog said the BBC “clearly has questions to answer” over how the set was shown live on Saturday.

On Monday, a criminal investigation was launched into the Glastonbury performances of Kneecap, the pro-Palestinian Northern Irish rappers, and Bob Vylan.

In a statement, Avon and Somerset Police said: “Video footage and audio from Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday has been reviewed.

“Following the completion of that assessment process, we have decided further inquiries are required and a criminal investigation is now being undertaken.”

During their appearance at Glastonbury, Bob Vylan chanted: “Free! Free!” The crowd responded: “Palestine!”.

Pascal Robinson-Foster, the group’s frontman who performs as Bobby Vylan, also ranted about a Jewish record company boss for whom he had worked.

An Ofcom spokesman said: “We are very concerned about the live stream of this performance, and the BBC clearly has questions to answer.

“We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency, including what procedures were in place to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines.”

Sir Keir Starmer has also condemned the incident as “appalling hate speech”, while the organisers of Glastonbury issued a statement saying that it “crossed a line”.

It follows criticism of the BBC’s response by Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary.

On Saturday night, Ms Nandy spoke to Tim Davie, the director-general of the corporation, to demand an explanation.

The corporation broadcast the performance by Bob Vylan without any edits or bleeps, meaning it did not cover any chants or lyrics that might be deemed offensive.

The BBC cut the live feed of the festival for Kneecap, which has been embroiled in a separate conflict in recent months.

Liam O’Hanna, a member of the group, has been charged with a terror offence after a flag showing support for Hezbollah was displayed at one of the band’s gigs in London.

An edited version of Kneecap’s performance was subsequently made available by the BBC on its iPlayer platform, although Bob Vylan’s set has not been uploaded to iPlayer.

Bob Vylan have also been banned from the US.

Glastonbury Festival itself also condemned the chants by Bob Vylan, saying in a statement on Sunday they were “appalled by the statements” made on stage.

Bob Vylan, formed in Ipswich in 2017, have released four albums addressing issues related to racism, masculinity and class.