A former BBC board member has issued a stark warning that the corporation's handling of a leaked memo about alleged bias has effectively encouraged its enemies to use "leak and launch" tactics to destabilise the broadcaster.
Resignation Over Leadership Changes
Shumeet Banerji, a technology industry investor, resigned from the BBC board on Friday following disagreements over how the corporation managed the departures of director general Tim Davie and head of BBC News Deborah Turness.
In his resignation letter, obtained by BBC News, Banerji claimed he was excluded from crucial discussions about the executives' futures. He expressed particular concern about how Turness was apparently informed she had lost the board's confidence before proper consultation had taken place.
"I was not invited to any meeting where a matter of such importance was to be discussed," Banerji stated in his letter, adding that BBC chair Samir Shah had not permitted "reasoned discussions" to occur before decisions were made.
Contradictory Accounts Emerge
The allegations from Banerji directly contradict statements made by Shah during his appearance before a parliamentary committee on Monday. Shah had told MPs that he held a 26-minute telephone conversation with Banerji during the weekend when the two high-profile resignations were announced.
However, Banerji appears to dispute this version of events, suggesting that any communication occurred only because he initiated it. The former board member said he decided to release his resignation letter to correct what he described as misconceptions that might have arisen from Shah's committee testimony.
The Leaked Memo That Started the Crisis
The controversy stems from a memorandum written by Michael Prescott, a public relations executive who previously served as an independent external adviser to the BBC's editorial guidelines and standards committee.
Prescott's document, which was "predictably leaked" to the Daily Telegraph according to Banerji, claimed the BBC faced "systemic problems" in its coverage of several sensitive topics including:
- Donald Trump and US politics
- The Gaza conflict
- Transgender rights issues
Another adviser who worked alongside Prescott has since publicly disagreed with his assessment, highlighting the divisive nature of the allegations within the BBC's advisory structure.
Warning About Future Attacks
Banerji's letter delivers a sobering message about the long-term consequences of how the BBC board responded to the leaked document and subsequent media coverage.
"The evaluation of the performance of executives is a board matter, but not in the white heat of a press excoriation," he wrote. "This is what has happened here. The lesson for detractors of the BBC is leak and launch."
The former board member suggested that Turness's treatment made it "inconceivable" that Davie wouldn't view the situation as a direct challenge to his own leadership position. While Davie has acknowledged the crisis contributed to his decision to resign, he maintains it wasn't the sole factor.
The BBC has responded to Banerji's departure by noting his term was due to end in December anyway and thanking him for his service. A spokesperson confirmed the search for his replacement is already underway.
