Statement on the Lord Dyson report

It is right that the BBC has owned up to it’s mistakes and apologised for the findings of the Dyson Report. There can be no excuse for the actions of Martin Bashir and the subsequent failings of the BBC in its initial investigation.

However amid the cacophony of noise around this particular story it is important to recognise that the tens of thousands of current BBC employees continue to operate to the highest standards of integrity and honesty. They will have been as dismayed at these historical failings as the rest of the public. The BBC remains one of the nations most cherished and trusted institutions and it is important to acknowledge that when considering the criticism that is being levelled at the institution following the publication of Lord Dyson’s report.

We live in a time when trustworthy news has never been more important – and that applies across all news platforms and brands. It is clear that some quarters are using valid criticisms of events from 25 years ago as a cloak for opportunistic political attacks on The BBC and indeed the very notion of public service broadcasting.

It is now time to focus on the future, to ensure that lessons have not only been learned but embedded in the culture of the BBC and that staff can feel empowered and confident that they will be supported in any whistleblowing cases moving forward.