A senior Conservative MP has demanded Ofcom intervene and slap down claims from the BBC that reporting Hamas as terrorists would contravene impartiality rules set down by the regulator.
Sir Michael Fabricant was furious with Today programme presenter Mishal Husain, who last week claimed Ofcom rules prevented the BBC from describing Hamas’s actions as “terrorist”.
The top BBC presenter, who is paid up to £320,000 a year, rowed with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who slammed the BBC on-air for refusing to “call a spade a spade”.
Ms Husain claimed: “All broadcasters stick to the same language around terrorism and these groups that the BBC is. We are not unique in this.”
Sir Michael has now taken action over the claims, writing to Ofcom boss Dame Melanie Dawes to complain over the “inappropriate questioning” that included multiple factual errors.
He wrote: “After the Defence Secretary called out the BBC for refusing to label Hamas as a terrorist organisation, the presenter falsely claimed that the Ofcom broadcasting code prevented the BBC from naming Hamas as ‘terrorists’ due to the requirement for accuracy and due impartiality.
“This is inherently incorrect. As a former BBC employee and former DCMS select committee member, I am fully confident that the Ofcom guidelines do not forbid the use of the word ‘terrorist’ when they have committed an act of terror.
“Given the clear misstating of the Ofcom broadcasting rules, it is my strong belief that Ofcom should advise the Today programme to correct the record as a matter of urgency and apologise to their listeners.
“When dealing with events as serious as this, words and facts matter. And the only word that can possibly be used to correctly describe Hamas and their actions: terrorist.”
Despite mass public pressure and cross-party outrage about their language towards Hamas and the terrorist group’s actions in Israel, the BBC is sticking to its line.
Today it’s reported Tory MPs are demanding the BBC publishes a buried report into accusations of bias over its coverage of Israel and the Middle East.
In 2004 the corporation commissioned a report following complaints from the public and Israel’s government that its coverage was biased.
The Balen Report has since been covered up, and only seen by a small number of very senior BBC figures.
The corporation also spent £350,000 of taxpayers’ cash fighting attempts to make the report public, and has repeatedly slapped down Freedom of Information requests attempting to force publication.
Sir Michael Fabricant is one of the Tory MPs making the demand for publication of the Balen report, saying: “The BBC has been appalling in its coverage of the Hamas crisis. Once again its impartiality has been thrown into doubt.”
Red Wall MP Mark Jenkinson said: “It makes you wonder why the BBC has spent the best part of two decades – and who knows how much licence fee cash – on withholding the Balen report from public scrutiny.
“Perhaps the reporting we’ve seen this week gives us a clue into the content.”
