The former Question Time host, 83, also rejected the suggestion that there is a “caval” of Tory supporters at the BBC governorship. Maitlis, who left the BBC this year, told the MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh Television Festival this week that the BBC had “appeased” the Tory government after covering Dominic Cummings’ behavior during the 2020 lockdown. making a quick apology. He also raised concerns about the BBC’s relationship with the Conservative government, saying a BBC board member was an “active agent of the Conservative party” shaping the broadcaster’s newscast by acting “as an arbiter of the BBC’s impartiality”. During her speech, Maitlis accused the BBC of adopting a “both sides” strategy by giving platforms to people who didn’t deserve airtime. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dimbleby said: “First of all, the words she said were approved by the editorial team at Newsnight, so it wasn’t just Emily who was criticized by the BBC. It was the team. The second thing I would say is that the things he said I think should have been questions rather than statements.” Quoting Maitlis, he continued: “The country sees that Cummings broke the rule, is shocked that the government can’t.” Well, not everyone may be shocked. “The public mood is one of anger, contempt and anguish.” Well, maybe, but that’s a question that needs to be asked. It was a polemic. I think that was the mistake.” Referring to Maitlis’ claim that the BBC reprimanded the Newsnight team in response to a government complaint, he added: “I don’t think the call from No 10 the next morning (had any effect). There’s a call from No 10 every bloody morning of the week. “Whoever is in power always exists. Look at Alastair Campbell – he never left the BBC when Labor was in power.’ Maitlis, who left the BBC earlier this year to do a podcast for commercial broadcaster LBC, highlighted in her speech the role of Sir Robbie Gibb, who previously worked as Theresa May’s communications director and helped set up right channel GB News. He said: “Put it in the context of the BBC board, where another active Conservative party operative – a former Downing Street doctor and former adviser to BBC rival GB News – now sits, acting as an arbiter of BBC impartiality.” ‘It doesn’t make sense’: Emily Maitlis hits out at BBC’s Tory relationship – video But Dimbleby dismissed the idea that a Tory agenda was running the BBC’s decision-making processes: “I don’t think it’s true that there is a Tory support group at the BBC.” But he added that “the jury is out on how the BBC handles hostility from the Tory government”, in relation to the end of the license fee and Nadine Dorries’ public “dislike” for the BBC. “There’s always going to be conflict with the government, and indeed with the opposition, because they’re always trying to lean on the BBC and sometimes the BBC is wrong,” Dimbleby said. “It’s a political football, BBC. We have to believe it.” A BBC spokesperson previously said: “The BBC places the highest value on due impartiality and accuracy and we apply these principles to our reporting on all matters. “As we have previously made clear in relation to Newsnight, we did not take action as a result of any pressure from No 10 or the Government and to suggest otherwise is wrong. The BBC found that the program breached its editorial standards and this decision still stands.”
