Warning BBC ‘impartiality at risk’ over head of news

RELATIONS between Downing Street and the BBC have been plunged into turmoil after the Corporation ignored opposition to the appointment of a Left-wing journalist as head of its news channels.

Jess Brammar, who posted a series of tweets critical of Boris Johnson, Brexit and Britain’s imperial past, is expected to be confirmed as executive news editor, despite objections from Sir Robbie Gibb, a member of the BBC board.

Sir Robbie warned the BBC’s director for news and current affairs, Fran Unsworth, that she ‘cannot make this appointment’ because the Government’s ‘fragile trust in the BBC will be shattered’ if she did.

Last night, a Government source said the forthcoming appointment called into question the commitment to impartiality made by Tim Davie when he became directorgeneral of the BBC last year.

The source said: ‘Up until this point, everyone has given Tim Davie the benefit of the doubt. This is now raising questions about how committed he really is to improving impartiality.’

Ms Brammar, 38, described Brexit as being like a TV comedy drama but ‘less funny’. She has since deleted more than 16,000 posts.

A BBC spokesman said last night: ‘When we are ready to make an announcement about this, we’ll make one.’