The head of the culture select committee has expressed concern about the stability of the BBC board under its current chair, Samir Shah. Describing Shah's testimony to MPs on Monday as 'wishy-washy', the committee chair questioned whether the broadcaster is in 'safe hands'. Shah's appearance in front of the Commons select committee followed a turbulent period for the BBC, marked by the resignations of its director general and head of news over impartiality issues.
During an interview with BBC's World Tonight, Dame Caroline Dinenage, the most senior MP on the committee, expressed her worries about a lack of 'grip at the heart of BBC governance.' Shah reported to the committee that he intends to 'steady the ship' and 'fix it', pledging not to abandon his role.
Summoned alongside other senior BBC figures, Shah provided evidence on how the corporation plans to address concerns regarding impartiality in its news coverage. Controversy erupted after the leak of a memo from a former independent advisor on editorial standards, criticizing the editing of a Donald Trump speech by the Panorama programme. This incident contributed to the resignation of two senior leaders at the BBC, threats of legal action from the US president, and intensified scrutiny from UK politicians.
Reflecting on Shah's assurances, Dame Caroline said, 'He didn't really have direct answers on the questions of how to get the BBC to act quicker, act more decisively... we were really looking for hard evidence that the BBC board is going to grip this... I'm not entirely convinced that they can and they will.' She emphasized that although the BBC needs leadership to fill key vacancies, the committee remains unconvinced about the board's capability to navigate these challenges.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Ofcom head Dame Melanie Dawes acknowledged the 'serious issues recently with editorial decision-making' at the BBC. The broadcasting regulator chief highlighted the board's substantial workload in rectifying these challenges.
Amidst these challenges, Shah noted that the 'most important job right now is to recruit a new director general,' underscoring the BBC's urgent leadership needs.