Gibb position on BBC board ‘untenable’, says Swinney

BBC board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s position is “untenable”, Scotland’s First Minister has said amid bias accusations at the broadcaster.

Sir Robbie served as director of communications for Theresa May when she was in Downing Street before his appointment to the broadcaster’s board.

The former broadcast journalist served in Number 10 for two years under the former Conservative prime minister, and his appointment to the board of the BBC in 2021 was met with criticism.

But the resignation of two top bosses at the broadcaster has reignited criticism of Sir Robbie’s position, with John Swinney saying his position “fuels that doubt and debate about the independence and the impartiality of the BBC”.

Director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness both announced their resignations at the weekend following claims a clip of US President Donald Trump’s speech in Washington ahead of the riots on January 6 2021, had been selectively edited.

Speaking to LBC on Monday, John Swinney said: “Robbie Gibb is a very clearly affiliated party-political figure on the board of the BBC.

“If the BBC wants to be viewed as an impartial organisation that’s authoritative, that reflects the independence of commentary, then I think Robbie Gibb’s position is untenable.”

Speaking to the PA news agency, he added: “I quite understand the concerns that are being expressed, given the role and the contribution of some of the members of the BBC board.

“Whoever it is in the BBC has got to be able to live up to the standards of impartiality, independence and to be able to give that authoritative commentary and contribution to public service broadcasting, because that’s what we all rely upon the BBC to provide.”

Situations like the editing of the speech made by President Trump, the First Minister said, “undermine the independence and impartiality” of the broadcaster.

Director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness both announced their resignations at the weekend as a result of the row.

But speaking to journalists outside the broadcaster’s London headquarters on Monday, Ms Turness rejected claims of institutional bias, but admitted “mistakes are made”.

The BBC has been contacted for comment.