Following the resignation of Tim Davie from the BBC, creative industries union Bectu, the biggest union in the BBC, has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Chair of the BBC Board Samir Shah demanding the removal of Robbie Gibb from the BBC Board.
Gibb, a former press secretary to Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, has sat on the BBC Board as member for England since 2021. Gibb also served on the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee (EGSC) at the centre of the row over the edit of a Trump speech in a Panorama programme that has led to resignations at the top of the BBC and a $1bn lawsuit threat from Trump.
Bectu says that BBC staff are concerned that Gibb is a “direct block to the BBC maintaining its chartered objective of independence” and that “staff must feel confident in both the government and the board’s commitment to its future, its mission, and its independence.”
The letter says: “Recent events have heightened the concerns of Bectu members about the direction of the BBC and its future. Staff are concerned about the forthcoming Charter Review amid open speculation about the future funding model. They are unsurprisingly anxious about entering this process with a vacuum of leadership and without a new Director General in place. And they are concerned about the BBC’s ability to resist partisan political pressure and uphold the integrity of its journalism.
“It is vital that staff feel that both the government and the BBC board are truly committed to the future of the organisation, its mission, its independence and its values. Given this, we believe that the position of Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC board has become a distraction and is untenable. We simply do not see how staff can have faith in the BBC’s leadership while a crucial position on the board is filled by someone perceived by many staff and external commentators as sympathetic to, or actively part of, a campaign to undermine the BBC and influence its political impartiality.”
Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, said: “This is a critical period for the BBC as it enters Charter renewal. It would be folly to navigate it with both a vacuum at the top and a board member who is widely viewed as divisive and damaging.
“The Culture Secretary has been very clear in her support for the BBC and its independence. It is time for her to demonstrate that by acting now to ensure the most impartial board possible for the organisation – that means Robbie Gibb has to go.
“Our members have worked incredibly hard to deliver high quality content at a time of cuts and redundancies. They are critical to the delivery of the BBC’s mission and the government must listen to their concerns regarding Gibb’s suitability, to ensure a BBC fit for the next decade and beyond.”
Full text of the letter
Dear Lisa and Samir
I am writing to you following the resignation of the BBC Director-General and Head of News to express our deep concern about the corporation’s future heading into the Charter Renewal process.
The BBC is a vital national institution, a cornerstone of our national culture and of our democracy. For people around the world, it provides a touchstone of truth and integrity, and in doing so enhances the reputation of the UK and promotes our values.
The BBC is not above reproach, and we have never been afraid of holding it to a high standard, especially when it has failed its own staff. There can be no doubt that recent editorial mistakes are serious and should have been dealt with swiftly. But it is also the case that much of the recent criticism is part of a concerted attempt to undermine the BBC and its values, by people who actively seek a more partial and polarised public sphere to advance their own political agendas.
In the face of this campaign, BBC staff have operated under incredible scrutiny in recent years, all while attempting to navigate declining budgets and a rapidly changing media environment.
Staff have performed admirably in this challenging environment, striving to uphold the mission and values of the BBC and to deliver high quality content to the millions of people who turn to it for their news and entertainment.
Recent events have heightened the concerns of Bectu members about the direction of the BBC and its future. Staff are concerned about the forthcoming Charter Review amid open speculation about the future funding model. They are unsurprisingly anxious about entering this process with a vacuum of leadership and without a new Director-General in place. And they are concerned about the BBC’s ability to resist partisan political pressure and uphold the integrity of its journalism.
It is vital that staff feel that both the government and the BBC board are truly committed to the future of the organisation, its mission, its independence and its values. Given this, we believe that the position of Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC board has become a distraction and is untenable.
We simply do not see how staff can have faith in the BBC’s leadership while a crucial position on the board is filled by someone perceived by many staff and external commentators as sympathetic to, or actively part of, a campaign to undermine the BBC and influence its political impartiality.
Our understanding of the BBC Charter is that under Clause 28 it is possible for the Secretary of State, in consultation with the board, to terminate Mr Gibb’s appointment. We would urge you to exercise this power so that staff can have faith that the future of the BBC is being decided by people who truly have its best interests at heart.
Yours sincerely
Philippa Childs
Head of Bectu
Staff Reporter
Share this story
