BBC bosses have drawn up plans to win over Reform UK voters to address “low trust issues” they have with the broadcaster.
Byline Times reports that senior bosses, including director general Tim Davie, are considering altering the BBC’s news and drama output to try and win the trust of supporters of Nigel Farage’s party.
According to the publication, minutes of a meeting of the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee in March show that BBC News CEO Deborah Turness gave a presentation “on plans to address low trust issues with Reform.”
In this presentation, she reportedly outlined plans to alter “story selection” and “other types out output, such as drama” to appeal to Reform voters.
The minutes reportedly state: “The Committee discussed the presentation. Committee members recognised the importance of local BBC teams in the plan, given their closeness to audiences.
“Directors discussed how story selection and other types of output, such as drama, also had a role to play. An update on progress would return to a future meeting”.
The report has prompted anger from some, who accused the BBC of pandering to the right.
Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller said that if the story was true, then Tim Davie and “the entire BBC Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee should be sacked.”
She wrote on X: “The BBC Royal Charter and Agreement mandate that the corporation is independent and impartial, meaning it must provide impartial news and treat controversial subjects with due impartiality.
“This includes reflecting a wide range of views and perspectives without under-representing significant viewpoints. That means no favour or bias towards any political party or organisation!!”
Someone else commented: “How about the BBC draws up some plans to do their bloody job which is to inform and provide proper journalism to interrogate his policies? But that would only expose Farage for the charlatan and snake oil salesman that he is, right?”
One of the members of the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines is Robbie Gibb, a former GB News executive who was appointed to the committee by Boris Johnson in 2021 and was labelled an “active agent of the Conservative Party” by former BBC presenter Emily Maitlis.
Byline Times reports that there is “significant internal disquiet” at the BBC over the influence Gibb has on the board.
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