5 d. ago BBC Breakfast's Jon Kay calls it 'a nightmare' as 24,000 homes left without water

BBC Breakfast presenter Jon Kay reported on the ongoing water crisis affecting thousands of households in Tunbridge Wells in Kent

Politics

9 d. ago Number of complaints about BBC to watchdog decreased in year to March – report

The report comes at a time of ‘significant crisis’ for the BBC, Ofcom said.

Politics

1 week ago RICHARD TICE: How Reform will end the Great Green Fraud that is Drax

Vote Reform to save trees. Yes, you read that right. For we alone will stop the madness of burning trees at Drax.

Politics

1 week ago MPs to question key BBC figures amid editorial crises – latest updates

Michael Prescott, author of leaked memo, chair Samir Shah and board members Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson to appear at select committeeIn response to the crisis, the BBC is preparing several new measures, my colleague Michael Savage has been reporting:The BBC is planning to overhaul the way it investigates editorial concerns, in a move that will dilute the influence of a Conservative figure accused of trying to sway its political impartiality. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Reform UK claim to have saved £331m at English councils – but do the numbers stack up?

Experts say councils face limits on cuts as Reform’s savings on IT deals, office moves and EV projects are disputedReform UK has ignored requests to share the evidence for its claim to have saved £331m since it took charge of 10 English councils in May, prompting questions over whether the figure is true.The party has boasted that it had achieved £331m worth of savings at English councils it controls. Warning of a “blob” of vested interests devoted to “ripping off” taxpayers, Richard Tice, the new head of the party’s self-styled ‘Doge’ cost-cutting unit, added: “We’re going to war with these people”. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago BBC in crisis: key questions to answer as Commons select committee meets

MPs will examine Michael Prescott’s claims of liberal bias in coverage of Gaza, racial diversity and trans issuesThe BBC has been plunged into crisis by the sudden resignation of its director general, Tim Davie, and the head of news, Deborah Turness. Their departure followed a disagreement over how to respond to a memo from its former external adviser Michael Prescott, in which he claimed there were “serious and systemic problems” at the corporation. He alleged liberal bias in its coverage of the US election, Gaza and racial diversity and transgender issues.Their decision shocked many in New Broadcasting House, but what emerged in the hours after their departure was talk of a rightwing “coup”, board splits and crippling delays. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago BBC's utter 'panic' over Strictly 'rapist' scandal: Frantic insiders tell KATIE HIND 'More stories will come out' as bosses fear crisis could bring down BBC

Strictly bosses had their usual excitement ahead of the annual live broadcast from Blackpool tinged with trepidation as news emerged another star had been arrested on suspicion of rape.

Events

2 w. ago BBC crisis deepens as 'weak' board chair Samir Shah could be next senior figure to be toppled amid ongoing bias row

A former senior BBC news editor warned that 'weak' Samir Shah (pictured) could be the third senior member of the BBC to be toppled as the public debate over bias allegations continues.

Events

2 w. ago Foreign nationals should ‘bear the brunt’ of cuts, says Reform UK as it seeks to save £25bn

Rightwing populist party claims chancellor Rachel Reeves can avoid tax rises at next week’s Budget

Economics

2 w. ago Nigel Farage's Reform UK blasts Rachel Reeves' 'treachery' for hiking taxes on Brits while spending 'extortionate' amounts on foreigners

At a Westminster press conference, Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf, Reform's policy chief, set out five major measures to save £25billion in the current financial year alone.

Economics

2 w. ago NIGEL FARAGE: It's a lie to say Reform wants to abolish the BBC. But we DO want to scrap the licence fee

For years, the flawed BBC has lurched from crisis to crisis, scandal to scandal, writes NIGEL FARAGE. In truth, the organisation is rotten to the core.

Politics

3 w. ago The BBC is like the Soviet Union and it's crying out for revolution, PETER HITCHENS tells SARAH VINE on new Daily Mail podcast

The BBC is 'the medieval church', Hitchens argued, wielding such power over public opinion that it requires far greater scrutiny.

Events

3 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Relating the fall of the BBC boss, Lisa Nandy could have been burying the family gerbil

After teatime, at an hour when most people at Broadcasting House were probably on their fifth jolt of neat gin, the Commons got round to discussing the BBC crisis.

Politics

3 w. ago Fury as four million Brits receive jobless benefits WITHOUT the need to look for work

FOUR million people are receiving jobless benefits without the need to look for work. The number is half the eight million who claim Universal Credit. The Department for Work and Pensions figures heap more pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves — months after a welfare shake-up to save £5billion was shelved. Reform UK’s Lee Anderson said:...

Economics

3 w. ago This BBC crisis is about more than one stupid error – to be saved, it must be reformed

Editorial: The state broadcaster has been struggling for years with its coverage of the most sensitive subjects, and bold changes must be made if it is to be rescued from its own worst instincts

Events

3 w. ago Nandy sets out plans for BBC charter review in wake of Trump crisis

The Culture Secretary addressed the matter in the House of Commons.

Politics

3 w. ago It’s the BBC v Trump, Farage and co. Who in their right mind would want to be its new boss? | Marina Hyde

Public life is a minefield and the best and brightest just don’t want to know. How convenient for foes of the most trusted news organisation in the worldListen, I hate to ruin a yarn wall but I don’t think it’s at all helpful to start framing the current crisis at the BBC as a giant conspiracy or coup by dark rightwing forces, and get stuck in the weeds of that. The fact is, the three mistakes that form the bulk of Michael Prescott’s explosive leaked memo about impartiality – the Panorama edit, issues with coverage of the transgender issue and bias in the BBC Arabic service – happened and are bad. Given their spectacular fallout and the highest-level scalps that have been claimed, the opportunity to now deal with them might as well be taken by what is, let’s not forget, the most trusted news organisation in the world.There is no news organisation in the United States that reaches more than 25% of people in a week. BBC News reaches 74% of UK adults in a week. There is vastly more dis...

Politics

3 w. ago Tim Davie tells BBC staff ‘we have to fight for our journalism’ but does not address Trump’s $1bn lawsuit threat – live

Outgoing director general says freedom of press under pressure and that he sees ‘weaponisation’Here is a round-up of what various lawyers and commentators have been saying about Donald Trump’s legal case against the BBC.Joshua Rozenberg, the legal commentator and a former BBC journalist, has said in a post on his A Lawyer Writes Substack that the corporation should settle. He explains:Given what Brito is claiming, the lawyer is unlikely to be impressed with the BBC’s assertion that “the purpose of editing the clip was to convey the message of the speech made by President Trump so that Panorama’s audience could better understand how it had been received by President Trump’s supporters and what was happening on the ground at that time”.So the BBC would be well advised to draft a retraction and apology in terms that the president’s lawyer finds acceptable. Brito is also calling for this to be broadcast as prominently as the original programme. And the corporation will have to pay compe...

Politics

3 w. ago Tim Davie tells BBC staff ‘we have to fight for our journalism’ as Trump threatens $1bn lawsuit – UK politics live

Outgoing director general says freedom of press under pressure and that he sees ‘weaponisation’Here is a round-up of what various lawyers and commentators have been saying about Donald Trump’s legal case against the BBC.Joshua Rozenberg, the legal commentator and a former BBC journalist, has said in a post on his A Lawyer Writes Substack that the corporation should settle. He explains:Given what Brito is claiming, the lawyer is unlikely to be impressed with the BBC’s assertion that “the purpose of editing the clip was to convey the message of the speech made by President Trump so that Panorama’s audience could better understand how it had been received by President Trump’s supporters and what was happening on the ground at that time”.So the BBC would be well advised to draft a retraction and apology in terms that the president’s lawyer finds acceptable. Brito is also calling for this to be broadcast as prominently as the original programme. And the corporation will have to pay compe...

Politics

3 w. ago Minister suggests BBC should apologise to Trump over documentary as president threatens $1bn lawsuit – UK politics live

Alison McGovern speaks to media about BBC crisis as culture secretary due to address MPs in attempt to contain falloutYesterday Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, gave an interview that indicated very strongly that she will get rid of the two-child benefit cap in full in the budget. It had been reported that the government was only going to partially remove it (by replacing the cap with a softer version, like a three-child benefit cap), but Reeves signalled that the cap will go in its entirety.If anyone did not get the message, Keir Starmer has signalled exactly the same intention – only even more strongly. In an interview with Amir Khan, a doctor and ITV broadcaster, the PM said he was determined to drive child poverty down. In the clip, recorded yesterday but broadcast this morning, Starmer said:I can tell you in no uncertain terms I’m determined to drive child poverty down. It is what the last Labour government did. And it’s one of the things we were proudest of. I am personally dete...

Politics