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John Whittingdale an 'utter hypocrite' over BBC deal, says Chris Bryant John Whittingdale an 'utter hypocrite' over BBC deal, says Chris Bryant
(about 4 hours later)
Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, has called his Conservative opponent John Whittingdale “a complete and utter hypocrite” for conducting secret funding negotiations with the BBC after criticising such deals earlier this year.Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, has called his Conservative opponent John Whittingdale “a complete and utter hypocrite” for conducting secret funding negotiations with the BBC after criticising such deals earlier this year.
Saying that his Conservative opponent looked “ashamed” of himself following last week’s announcement that a funding deal had been agreed without parliamentary or public consultation, Bryant said the nature of the deal contravened Whittingdale’s own report published in February.Saying that his Conservative opponent looked “ashamed” of himself following last week’s announcement that a funding deal had been agreed without parliamentary or public consultation, Bryant said the nature of the deal contravened Whittingdale’s own report published in February.
“He signed a report earlier this year that said that the process we went through in 2010 was wrong and that public and parliament had to be involved. And that’s the process that’s just happened [again],” Bryant said.“He signed a report earlier this year that said that the process we went through in 2010 was wrong and that public and parliament had to be involved. And that’s the process that’s just happened [again],” Bryant said.
“Either he’s the same person he was in March in which case he syhould have said this is no way to treat a lady, Auntie ... If he’s a different person then he was a charlatan previously.” “Either he’s the same person he was in March in which case he should have said this is no way to treat a lady, Auntie ... If he’s a different person then he was a charlatan previously.”
Either way, the culture secretary had been “significantly weakened” by the four-day negotiations that ended with the BBC agreeing to pay for free TV licences for the over-75s in return for some a promise to link the £145.50 fee to inflation for five years among other things.Either way, the culture secretary had been “significantly weakened” by the four-day negotiations that ended with the BBC agreeing to pay for free TV licences for the over-75s in return for some a promise to link the £145.50 fee to inflation for five years among other things.
The Labour MP’s comments, which come after he had previously called for the correspondence between government and the BBC to be publicised, come ahead of a green paper to be published on Thursday that will decide the terms of the BBC charter, which runs until the end of 2016.The Labour MP’s comments, which come after he had previously called for the correspondence between government and the BBC to be publicised, come ahead of a green paper to be published on Thursday that will decide the terms of the BBC charter, which runs until the end of 2016.
Bryant believes that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport wants to reopen discussions about the size of the BBC in a way which could undermine its inflation-linked promise. In particular, if forthcoming charter renewal negotiations change the BBC’s “scope” then the government could argue that the link to consumer price index is not guaranteed, he said. “They [the government] have left themselves enough wriggle room.”Bryant believes that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport wants to reopen discussions about the size of the BBC in a way which could undermine its inflation-linked promise. In particular, if forthcoming charter renewal negotiations change the BBC’s “scope” then the government could argue that the link to consumer price index is not guaranteed, he said. “They [the government] have left themselves enough wriggle room.”
The value of the promises made in letters to the BBC signed by Whittingdale and George Osborne will be confirmed over the next 18 months.The value of the promises made in letters to the BBC signed by Whittingdale and George Osborne will be confirmed over the next 18 months.
In a meeting organised by the Broadcasting Press Guild, Bryant defended the BBC for the increasing wage bill and staff numbers revealed in its annual report on Tuesday. Saying he was “relatively sympathetic when it comes to top pay for talent”, he added that BBC executive salaries were far lower than those at Channel 4, for example.In a meeting organised by the Broadcasting Press Guild, Bryant defended the BBC for the increasing wage bill and staff numbers revealed in its annual report on Tuesday. Saying he was “relatively sympathetic when it comes to top pay for talent”, he added that BBC executive salaries were far lower than those at Channel 4, for example.
He was critical of the system of governance, having previously called for BBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead to resign, and also worried about the future of the World Service, which the corporation agreed to fund in 2010.He was critical of the system of governance, having previously called for BBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead to resign, and also worried about the future of the World Service, which the corporation agreed to fund in 2010.
February’s report from the culture, media and sport select committee, which John Whittingdale chaired, said: “No future licence fee negotiations must be conducted in the way of the 2010 settlement. It was wholly wrong that 2010 licence fee settlement […] was not subject to any public or parliamentary consultation.”February’s report from the culture, media and sport select committee, which John Whittingdale chaired, said: “No future licence fee negotiations must be conducted in the way of the 2010 settlement. It was wholly wrong that 2010 licence fee settlement […] was not subject to any public or parliamentary consultation.”
“The 2010 settlement demonstrated that the BBC’s independence can be compromised by negotiations with the government of the day that lack transparency and public consultation.”“The 2010 settlement demonstrated that the BBC’s independence can be compromised by negotiations with the government of the day that lack transparency and public consultation.”