BBC editorial standards: CMS Committee writes to corporation chair over Panorama editing concerns and Middle East coverage

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to BBC Chair Samir Shah to ask what action is being taken over concerns raised by a former adviser to the corporation's editorial standards body.

The letter asks for the Committee to be provided with the full report previously provided to the BBC board by Michael Prescott, which outlined concerns about the way in which a speech by Donald Trump was edited in an episode of Panorama and about the BBC's reporting of the war in Gaza.

It also requests details of the actions taken by the BBC in response to Mr Prescott's report and an update on the review of the effectiveness of the committee, which was undertaken in the summer. 

Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said:

“The BBC clearly has serious questions to answer regarding both its editorial standards and the way in which concerns are handled by senior management. The corporation must set the benchmark for accurate and fair reporting, especially in a media landscape where it is all too easy to find news presented in a less than impartial way. The Committee needs to be reassured that those at the very top of the BBC are treating these issues with the seriousness they deserve and taking decisive steps to uphold the corporation's reputation for integrity and public trust.”