The BBC’s Director General, Tim Davie, has faced questioning from Conservative MPs in a specialised meeting regarding the BBC’s reporting on the Middle East conflict. The meeting, which was said by the BBC to have been scheduled since July, was intended to be part of regular discussions held with politicians. The main focus of the meeting was the way BBC has reported on the Israel-Gaza war and migration.
During the meeting, Davie emphasised the importance of the institution, a point he made clear to the MPs present. An MP who attended the meeting stated that the one thing that unified all the backbenchers was their contentious disagreement with Davie regarding the description of Hamas as a terrorist organisation and the ability to declare it as such. The meeting was described by another as a robust exchange of views.
The failure of the corporation to label Hamas as “terrorists” has sparked outrage among many Tory MPs and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Davie clarified, however, that the use of the word was not prohibited. He explained that the corporation is always careful in stating who is referring to someone as a terrorist. The BBC, in its reports, often refers to Hamas as a terrorist organisation proscribed by the UK government.
The BBC, in a statement, later clarified: “Our stance is one of impartiality… we are not neutral, but we strive to report across the UK, Gaza, and the Middle East. If the BBC is seen as an extension of the UK government, it poses a challenge to our journalism and affects how it is perceived and trusted.”
Inside the 1922 Committee, which represents backbench Tory MPs in the House of Commons, reports emerged that Natalie Elphicke, a Tory MP, was among those who raised questions about the BBC’s coverage of small boat crossings. The BBC announced plans to review its migration output and its editorial guidelines.
A spokesperson for the BBC added: “We review our editorial guidelines every four to five years as a routine. The next review is set to take place next year.” The questions resulted in desk-banging, a traditional sign of appreciation at the meeting, and cheers for “more”.
Davie’s attendance at the meeting was part of his regular meetings with political parties, a BBC spokesman said. The spokesman added: “We conduct meetings with a variety of parliamentary groups from different parties as part of our usual engagement. We were invited to this meeting back in July.”
BBC News Chief Executive Deborah Turness also addressed the issue in a blog post published on Wednesday about the broadcaster’s coverage of the Israel-Gaza war. She outlined how the BBC reporters are gradually shifting away from using the word “militant” as a standard description of Hamas or Hezbollah fighters. She stated: “While we don’t ban words, there might be situations, both now and in the future, where it’s appropriate to use the term.”
