Former aide to Theresa May appointed to BBC board

SIR ROBBIE GIBB, a former No10 communications director under Theresa May and a vocal critic of BBC bias, has been appointed to the Corporation’s board.

Sir Robbie had a 25-year career in the BBC before moving into political communications, having held roles including the editor of Daily Politics and head of BBC Westminster. He will take up a three-year term as the England representative on the BBC board, which is responsible for ensuring the BBC delivers its “mission and public purposes”.

Sir Robbie was selected by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, part of Boris Johnson’s administration. The position is paid.

The decision to appoint someone who only a few years ago was playing a central role in Conservative politics to a senior BBC position will raise eyebrows.

Sir Robbie told The Daily Telegraph: “Throughout my time at the BBC and since leaving I have always believed that impartiality should be the BBC’S number one priority because it is so critical to audience trust.

“The Corporation has a big job to reform and make sure it once again becomes the gold standard for broadcasting impartiality – I am privileged to have the chance to play a part in helping the BBC achieve that.”

Sir Robbie joined No10 in 2017 to advise Mrs May, a Conservative, during her premiership. The following two years in Downing Street were dominated by the challenge of delivering Brexit.

Since leaving the political front line he has at times been open about his concern that some BBC reporting has fallen short on its obligations for impartiality.

Sir Robbie wrote for The Telegraph last October: “The BBC can only justify itself as a publicly-funded broadcaster if it provides something its rivals do not – impartial news and entertainment that reflects the rich diversity of opinions and experiences across our country.

“The BBC has drifted too far from its core values and the people it serves.”

He wrote for the Daily Mail in January 2020: “A debate now rages within the BBC’S senior management about how best to respond to these growing charges of bias. They would be wise to take them very seriously.”

The BBC board’s responsibilities include setting the BBC’S strategic direction, creative remit for output and its budget.