Leaked WhatsApp messages and emails have revealed that BBC journalists were asked to avoid using the term 'lockdown' in reporting at the start of the pandemic, and to increase criticism of Labour following pressure from Downing Street. Former BBC staff have called for an investigation into the 'troubling' communications, which date from 2020 to 2022.
Rob Burley, a former senior editor in charge of political programmes, described the messages as 'very troubling evidence of the way that BBC executives operate in relation to government and how they put pressure on journalists to reflect the No 10 line'. He added that the messages suggest the political news team was encouraged to reflect Downing Street's view as the BBC's own, which he called 'pretty scandalous'.
Veteran BBC journalist John Simpson commented that it is 'not our job to do Downing Street's bidding', while Jon Sopel, a former North America editor, tweeted that the leaks were 'not a good look – really'. The leaked messages include an email instructing correspondents not to use the word 'lockdown' on the day Boris Johnson announced the first lockdown in March 2020, and a WhatsApp message asking for more scepticism towards Labour after a complaint from No 10.
A BBC spokesperson responded: 'The BBC makes its own independent editorial decisions and none of these messages show otherwise. Selective out of context messages from a colleagues’ WhatsApp group and email do not give an accurate reflection of the BBC’s editorial decision making.' The revelations come amid ongoing scrutiny of the BBC's impartiality, following the suspension of football commentator Gary Lineker over a tweet criticising government policy.
