The BBC board has come under intense scrutiny as its chair, Samir Shah, appeared before the House of Commons Culture Select Committee on Monday, with senior MPs questioning whether the organisation is in “safe hands.”
Shah, who pledged to “steady the ship” and “fix it,” faced tough questioning following a turbulent period for the broadcaster, which has seen the resignation of its director general and head of news amid claims of bias in reporting. The controversy erupted after a leaked memo from a former independent adviser on editorial standards criticised Panorama’s handling of a speech by former US President Donald Trump.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, the committee’s most senior MP, described Shah’s evidence as “wishy-washy” and expressed doubts about the board’s ability to assert effective control. Speaking to BBC’s World Tonight, she said:
“He didn’t really have direct answers on how to get the BBC to act quicker, act more decisively… we were really looking for hard evidence that the BBC board are going to grip this… I’m not entirely convinced that they can and they will.”
Dinenage also questioned whether the board can provide stability in the absence of a director general:
“The BBC can’t be left without a [director general] and without a chair — someone needs to lead the march to replace the leadership. But equally, I don’t think we as a committee were wildly enthused that the board is in safe hands.”
She added that the committee expects “a lot more robust answers” to ensure “grip at the heart of BBC governance.”
The chairman’s appearance comes as Ofcom head Dame Melanie Dawes echoed concerns about the corporation’s editorial practices. Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, Dawes said:
“The BBC had serious issues recently with editorial decision making. The board has a lot to do to set that right.”
BBC
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