Emily Maitlis ‘showed why she had to go’, BBC insiders say as impartiality row escalates – iNews

Emily Maitliss explosive claim that the BBC was infiltrated by an active agent of the Conservative party who is shaping the broadcasters news output shows why she was right to quit the corporation, insiders have said.

The former Newsnight host singled out the role of Sir Robbie Gibb, the former No 10 communications director appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnsons government, in her first public speech since leaving the broadcaster.

Maitliss claim that Sir Robbie, who once led BBCs Westminster coverage and was involved in founding the right-wing GB News channel, is now the arbiter of BBC impartiality, exposed divisions within the corporation over the direction of its news coverage.

Director-General Tim Davie has made impartiality the defining issue of his tenure, cracking down on staff using social media to air personal views.

He has acknowledged that the BBCs Brexit reporting failed to identify the strength of pro-Leave feeling in red wall towns.

Gibb was accused of seeking to block the appointment of Jess Brammar, a former HuffPost UK editor, to a senior BBC News executive role, because of her previous political views (the appointment ultimately went ahead).

Sir Robbie, who has influenced a series of ongoing BBC reviews into impartiality, believes the BBCs credibility depends on challenging assumptions that its news values are driven by a Remain-backing metropolitan elite.

Maitlis, who left the BBC for commercial rival Global, after a series of rebukes for impartiality breaches, most notably her Newsnight Dominic Cummings monologue, demonstrated in her Edinburgh TV Festival speech why she had to go, sources said.

Emily has nailed her political colours to the mast now, an insider said. She was chafing against the impartiality guidelines during the end of her time at Newsnight. Tim is relaxed that she has gone. It looks the best decision for everyone.

Maitliss suggestion that political pressure has forced the broadcaster to censor itself when reporting the cost of living crisis and the Brexit fallout found sympathy among BBC News staff, facing cuts due to the planned merger of the BBCs news channels into a single service.

There was anger within the BBC newsroom that the broadcasters online report on the speech initially omitted to mention the Gibb claim.

A section naming Gibb was later added in to the story. BBC sources said it was not unusal to update stories.

Bosses insist the BBCs reporting and the grilling of ministers on Today and other outlets is as rigorous as it has ever been.

Rob Burley, former head of the BBCs political programmes who now oversees Andrew Marrs LBC show, said Maitlis was right to warn of the dangers of self-censorship.

The biggest influence government have over BBC is the threat of further cuts to or abolition of the licence fee.

I generally kept my distance from Downing Street but for me thats where youll find the most worrying aspect: No 10. Comms too able to influence BBC Millbank (Westminster) bosses, Burley said.

Strong BBC reporters and editors counter-balance this threat but bosses are now weaker, Burley tweeted. In recent years Millbank has become renowned for story squashing.

Former Labour Cabinet Minister James Purnell was made the head of BBC Radio and Education output without creating many ripples, Burley noted, asking if a political background should exclude individuals from any senior BBC role.

BBC Chairman Richard Sharp, who donated 400,000 to the Tory party before being appointed by Downing Street, has found himself defending the corporation against ministerial attempts to undermine the licence fee.

The BBCs position on impartiality was further muddied by a Twitter spat between a News executive and Gary Lineker.

Neil Henderson, a home and foreign news editor, said he would be sacked if he expressed the same critical views on government policy, as the Match of the Day presenter. Lineker has been told he has more leeway since he doesnt work in news and current affairs.

Delivering the BBCs official response, chief content officer Charlotte Moore insisted that in no way was there any influence from the Government or the board on the BBC over its decision to rebuke Maitlis over her Newsnight monologue.

Maitlis claimed the BBC had sought to pacify No 10 by issuing a swift apology following her 2020 segment about Dominic Cummings lockdown trip to Durham.

Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Moore said impartiality is particularly important for the BBC, adding she feels viewers expect that from the broadcaster, especially when it comes to holding politicians to account.

The Guido Fawkes website questioned whether Maitlis was simply seeking to make a splash to promote the new daily podcast she is presenting with Jon Sopel, which launches next week.

Some believe Maitlis has been inspired by the example of James OBrien, who quit presenting Newsnight so he could criticise Brexit in passionate terms on his LBC phone-in show, which has 1.4 million listeners. Maitlis and OBrien are now Global colleagues.

Her departure from the BBC appears to have produced a satisfactory solution for both sides.

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Emily Maitlis 'showed why she had to go', BBC insiders say as impartiality row escalates - iNews