The Rest Is Politics – Episode 466

Title: Crisis Hits the BBC: Is this a Coordinated Attack?
Date: November 10, 2025
Hosts: Alastair Campbell & Rory Stewart

Episode Overview

This urgent, live episode finds Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart dissecting the sudden resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davy and Head of News Deborah Turness. The discussion explores the events leading up to this crisis, notably a memo leaked to the Daily Telegraph, and broader concerns: is the BBC under coordinated attack, especially from right-wing political forces? The hosts debate editorial missteps, threats to BBC impartiality, and what this moment means for the future of the world's most trusted public service broadcaster.

Key Discussion Points

1. Immediate BBC Crisis: Resignations and Roots

• Background Events

  • Tim Davy (Director General) and Deborah Turness (Head of News) have resigned following a scandal around BBC's Panorama editing of Donald Trump’s January 6 speech, and allegations of bias in BBC Arabic versus English coverage.
  • Leaked memo by Michael Prescott (former journalist turned PR figure) highlighted two key allegations:
    • Panorama: Splicing Trump’s words to falsely imply he said “march on the Capitol” and “fight, fight, fight” in one breath, when these were an hour apart.
    • BBC Arabic: Alleged pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli slant compared to English output.
  • Conservative politicians (Kemi Badenoch, Boris Johnson) and right-wing press called for resignations, which soon followed.
  • Campbell: “The BBC is probably the most famous public service broadcaster in the world… at a time when news and fact in news couldn’t be more contested. And the Director General has gone.” (02:34)

• Significance:

  • The crisis is not mere “Westminster bubble” media squabbling; it touches on issues of trust, accountability, and the wider culture wars in Britain and internationally.
  • Campbell: “I think this is going to lead to questions about the governance of the BBC.” (04:22)

• Political Appointments at the BBC

  • Campbell criticizes the government’s ability to “tilt” the BBC Board. Points out the controversial appointment of Robbie Gibb (ex-Theresa May communications director with openly partisan history) as analogous to his own hypothetical installment under a Labour government.
  • “He’s got a long track record of being a very, very active political figure... It is as though when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister, I was appointed.” (05:01)

2. BBC Under Siege: Right-Wing Attacks & Internal Failures

• “Organized, Well-Funded Attempt to Undermine the BBC”

  • Campbell: “There has been a right wing, very organized, very well funded attempt to undermine the BBC. Because if you are a Trump, if you are a Farage, you don’t want a media organization that properly holds people to account. You want a fanzine.” (06:55)
  • Stewart: Recognizes many Tories feel BBC is persistently left-wing, just as Campbell sees most print media as right-leaning; BBC is “a punchbag” in today’s polarized world. (07:15)
  • Panorama editing “unforgivable,” but outrage weaponized beyond its actual impact.

• Handling Scandal: Defensive Culture

  • Both hosts recount institutional reluctance to apologize or admit error (parallels drawn to Campbell's own battles with the BBC over the Hutton Inquiry and Gilligan Affair).
  • Campbell: “The BBC goes into a kind of defensive crouch… instead of [admitting wrongdoing].” (15:14)
  • Stewart: “The key point is to get out there and apologize.” (16:18)

• Lack of Journalistic Leadership at the Top

  • Stewart quotes Alan Rusbridger: too few journalists on the BBC board, overrun by marketing/PR backgrounds rather than editorial experience.
  • “Who would you rather trust? People who were former journalists … or someone like Lyse Doucet?” (19:49)

3. Broader Political and Cultural Dynamics

• Coordinated Right-Wing Media Ecosystem

  • Campbell points to an “organized right wing thing” amplified by both UK and US political forces—linking attacks on BBC credibility to the ambitions of figures like Trump, Farage, Boris Johnson, and major newspapers.
  • Reads Trump’s post-resignation tweet lambasting BBC, hailing GB News, and alleging foreign interference in US democracy:

    “The top people in the BBC... are all quitting, fired because they were caught doctoring... my ... speech of January 6th... What a terrible thing for democracy... everyone should watch GB News.” (21:39)

• Culture War Issues: Gaza and Transgender Coverage

  • BBC accused in opposite directions: pro-Palestinian (by the right), pro-Israel (by younger audiences); similarly, on trans issues, accused of excessive “JK Rowling camp” influence by insiders, opposite by outsiders. (27:20)

• Structural Governance Flaws

  • BBC Board appointments made by government recommendation to the King; hosts see risk in political interference (like US Supreme Court tilting).
  • Role of “master of the dark arts” Tory fixer Dougie Smith in Robbie Gibb’s appointment. (33:13)

4. What Next for the BBC? Recommendations and Reflection

• Redeeming Impartiality & Restoring Confidence

  • Stewart: New DG must articulate “a very strong, clear, consistent, easily comprehensible message about what objectivity means and why objectivity doesn’t mean giving equal balance to people spouting fake news, to people telling the truth.” (35:25)
  • John Tusa’s perspective: every BBC scandal has led to more management layers, not more accountability, making it “impossible really to work out who’s responsible for anything.” (36:17)

• Financial and Editorial Prioritization

  • Campbell: News is undervalued amid the BBC’s vast entertainment/media empire (sport, documentaries, etc), but trust hinges primarily on news. (43:09)
  • Need for more specialist correspondents, less dumbing down, and investment in news over management process.

• The Future Director General: Criteria

  • Campbell: “Someone who passionately believes in journalism as a force for good… who can stand up in this deeply polarized world, have their whole life taken apart...” (45:12)
  • Rusbridger, John Tusa cited as examples, though not necessarily practical candidates.
  • Role is partly educative: explaining and defending the BBC’s place in democratic life.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On BBC’s crisis of confidence:

  “I’ve been saying for a long time… the BBC has lost its confidence. I think it panders to those who seek to destroy it. And I’m afraid, I think that’s what this is about.”
  — Alastair Campbell [04:23]

• On the impossibility of impartiality:

  “The BBC’s problem is that it’s a punchbag… with the right basically thinking that the truth is right wing and the left believing the truth is left wing and the BBC trying to present a story in the middle.”
  — Rory Stewart [07:15]

• On management culture:

  “What will come from this is there’ll be another commission… another layer which is going to stop a repeat of whatever happened. And that doesn’t really deliver accountability. What it delivers is endless fudge…”
  — Rory Stewart [36:27]

• Trump’s reaction to the scandal:

  “The top… people in the BBC… are all quitting, fired… because they were caught doctoring my… speech of January 6th… These are very dishonest people… and they’re from a foreign country, one that many consider our number one ally. What a terrible thing for democracy.”
  — Read by Alastair Campbell [21:39]

• On the need for a strong Director General:

  “It’s going to have to be somebody who can stand up in this deeply polarized world, have their whole life taken apart… have a culture that makes that part of his mission: why we need an organization like the BBC adapting all the time to this massively changing… landscape.”
  — Alastair Campbell [46:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:40 – Resignation of Tim Davy & Deborah Turness; background on the scandal
• 04:20 – Political appointments, Robbie Gibb, and Board interference; deepening crisis
• 07:15 – The BBC as a political punchbag; debate on impartiality and “impossible job”
• 13:16 – Parallels to the Hutton Inquiry; Campbell’s personal BBC conflict
• 16:18 – Necessity (and elusiveness) of quick, honest apologies
• 21:39 – Trump’s public attack on the BBC; internationalization of media wars
• 27:20 – Coverage on Gaza and transgender issues; BBC portrayed as biased in all directions
• 32:15 – BBC’s Charter process; risks in government-tilted appointments
• 35:25 – What objectivity should mean for public broadcasters
• 37:14 – BBC’s cultural importance and public trust; excellence in entertainment and ceremonial coverage
• 43:09 – The need for strong specialist journalism amid tabloid culture
• 45:12 – Who should lead the BBC next? Desirable qualities and the daunting task ahead

Summary & Takeaways

• The episode explores the coordinated political and media attacks on the BBC, arguing these are not merely internal media spats but touch on the democratic function of public broadcasting.
• While condemning editorial errors (notably the Panorama edit), both hosts view the outrage as disproportionate, fed by culture war politics rather than genuine concern for media standards.
• A consensus emerges on the dangers of politically influenced governance and the urgent need for a Director General (and a BBC culture) that combines courage, transparency, a real commitment to impartiality, and the ability to communicate BBC’s enduring value.
• The hosts close by urging Labour and all British politicians to defend the BBC publicly, rather than triangulating, if the broadcaster is to survive present and future storms.

This episode is an essential listen for anyone interested in the intersection of media, politics, and democracy — providing both insider analysis and wider lessons for public institutions under siege.