BBC urged to ‘seriously’ examine biased Donald Trump dossier, Ofcom boss confirms

In the 19-page report, compiled by former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, Michael Prescott, it is claimed the corporation edited a speech by Mr Trump in a documentary broadcast the week before last year’s US election.

The programme allegedly spliced clips together from sections of the US President’s speech on January 6, 2021, to make it appear he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to "fight like hell".

Lord Grade, who chaired the BBC Board of Governors between 2004 and 2006, has got in touch with Mr Shah "to seek assurances that Mr Prescott’s concerns were being considered seriously by the BBC Board," an Ofcom spokesman has confirmed.

Typically, the communications regulator can only consider complaints made about the BBC where the complainant has completed the broadcaster's own complaints process first.

The BBC's Arabic news channel has also been accused of having "minimised Israeli suffering" in the war against Gaza in order to "paint Israel as the aggressor", according to a leaked internal report.

Claims and allegations against Israel were said to have been "raced to air" without appropriate checks, while BBC Arabic gave more time to statements from Hamas.

The memo also says the channel had "a desire always to believe the worst about Israel", while giving "unjustifiable weight" to Hamas' claims about the death toll in Gaza.

A committee of MPs has written to Mr Shah demanding information about the way Mr Trump's speech was edited in the Panorama episode.

The committee has asked the chairman what actions he will take to address the specific concerns raised and to request a copy of the memo on impartiality by Mr Prescott.

Dame Caroline, who signed the letter on behalf of the committee, 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."

The BBC said it will respond to the committee’s letter directly.

A BBC spokesman said: "While we don’t comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully.

"Michael Prescott is a former adviser to a board committee where differing views and opinions of our coverage are routinely discussed and debated."

Downing Street said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and senior officials in the Department for Culture, Media & Sport have received a copy of the memo and have been "assured" by the BBC that it will be examining the issues raised in the report.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said on Tuesday: "Fundamentally, it’s crucial that the BBC upholds the highest standards of reporting and impartiality, so it’s trusted as our national broadcaster.

"We take any criticisms of the BBC’s editorial standards very seriously. We expect the BBC to consider feedback that they receive seriously too, and carefully.

"Because the BBC is independent of government, it’s for the corporation to respond to questions about their editorial decisions.”

Kemi Badenoch urged BBC director-general Tim Davie to sack the person responsible for the video.

The Conservative Party leader GB News: "It’s absolutely shocking. That is fake news. Actually putting different things together to try and make something look different from what it actually was.

"I do think heads should roll. Whoever it was who did that should be sacked.

"This is a corporation that needs to hold itself to the highest standards, and that means that when we see people doing the wrong thing, they should be punished, they should be sacked."