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Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has criticised the BBC for a lack of impartiality, while appearing to praise controversial broadcaster GB News for being ‘balanced’.
She claimed the BBC is no longer seen by viewers as “sufficiently impartial” – comments which made the front page of the Telegraph – as she announced that the public broadcaster’s website and social media will be subject to regulation by broadcast regulator Ofcom, ostensibly to make the BBC more accountable and trustworthy.
However, the Government’s review of the BBC is not only confined to claims of impartiality but also funding.
Frazer said it is not appropriate for the BBC to have “criminal tools in its armoury” to prosecute people for not paying their TV licence fee, suggesting she will significantly water-down the body’s ability to enforce payment of the levy.
But this morning, she also downplayed criticisms of GB News, saying it offers “balance across the spectrum” when challenged about Conservative MPs interviewing other Conservative MPs on the channel, as well as the swathe of live Ofcom investigations into the broadcaster.
Jamie Stone MP, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for culture, media and sport, hit back, said Frazer was prioritising ‘culture wars’ over supporting the BBC’s delivery of quality services. “This attack on the BBC is yet another desperate distraction from a government in distress,” he said.
“The BBC is the number one source of trusted news in the world and that comes down to proper independence and resilience to the political pressure we see from this Conservative Government,” he added.
