Now not the time to replace BBC chair, says committee head

Now is not the time to replace BBC chairman Samir Shah, the head of the culture select committee has said, adding that someone needs to get the corporation on an "even keel".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The Media Show, Dame Caroline Dinenage - who described Shah's evidence to the committee this week as "wishy-washy" - advised against further changes at the top of the corporation.

Director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness both resigned over a Panorama episode that edited together parts of a 2021 speech by US President Donald Trump.

Shah told the committee he intends to fix problems at the BBC, saying he is "not someone who walks away".

Trump has threatened to sue the BBC, claiming defamation. The BBC has apologised but has not given financial compensation, which the president had requested.

Asked about Shah's position, Conservative MP Dame Caroline - who heads the Culture, Media and Sport Committee - told The Media Show: "I think at the moment, I would advise against any further large-scale changes at the head of the BBC.

"They need to be selecting a new director general and now a new director general deputy, they also need to start the process of Charter Review.

"And I think they do need to have a good hard look at themselves and demonstrate that they are able to provide effective leadership."

The fallout at the BBC was sparked by a leaked memo to the board written by a former external adviser, Michael Prescott.

There have since been some concerns raised about how the BBC board operates.

Dame Caroline said there is "chaos in some parts of the BBC" and the "board themselves are certainly a part of this".

She said there need to be "some real fundamental changes from within" but that "someone needs to steady the ship, someone needs to get it back on an even keel".

Dame Caroline questioned whether Shah had given a "selective" account of the resignation of former board member Shumeet Banerji, who shared his resignation letter with the BBC on Tuesday.

Banerji said in the letter that Turness was told she did not have the confidence of the majority of the board, but that he was not invited to any meetings where this was discussed.

During the committee hearing, Shah was asked about Banerji's resignation, saying he believed he had consulted him and the pair had had a "26-minute call".

"It seems to paint a very different picture to the one that Dr Shah gave the committee," said Dame Caroline.

She went on: "If we take Mr Banerji's resignation at face value, there's really two options - either the chair gave a very selective account to the committee of how he worked with Mr Banerji during that week.

"Or the chair is not doing as good a job as he seems to think he is about bringing all the members of his board together, and leading the organisation."

Neither of these is "very good news for either the BBC or Dr Shah", she added.

Dame Caroline said she would be following up on this with Shah when the committee writes to him later this week. Asked if she could recall Shah, or call Banerji, she said nothing was off the table.

Other members of the Culture, Media and Sport committee have expressed their concerns about the BBC board.

Labour MP Rupa Huq said: "I think the resignation of Mr Banerji and the reasons he cites in his letter - inadequate consultation with board members - demonstrates that all is not well on the BBC board, despite the polished and well-rehearsed performances of the representatives who appeared on Monday at our committee."

The Ealing Central and Acton MP said "a strong chair would have prevented this scenario", adding that with Mr Banerji's resignation letter being shared: "I fear this matter is not over yet."

And Cameron Thomas, Liberal Democrat MP for Tewkesbury, said: "Though Dr Shah claims to enjoy the backing of those remaining board members, these three resignations at the top of the BBC continue to leave a question mark over his credibility."

He added: "Mr Banerji's resignation letter casts yet further doubt upon Dr Shah's leadership and I observed nothing in Monday's committee to give me faith that he can steer the BBC through this storm... a storm created by leaked boardroom communications".