Lisa Nandy hits out at BBC leadership over Glastonbury live stream
It came after rapper Bobby Vylan led crowds at the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of 'free, free Palestine' and 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)' on Saturday.
Ms Nandy said the Government is 'exasperated' with the 'lack of account from the leadership', as MPs from across the chamber called for accountability.
Bobby Vylan performing at Glastonbury Festival (Ben Birchall/PA)
In a statement on the BBC and Glastonbury, she said 'problems with broadcasts' at the festival 'should have been foreseeable'.
Labour MP Peter Prinsley (Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket) said: 'How are Jews such as myself, in this country, to be reassured about the editorial processes of the BBC? And who on Earth will be held accountable for this error?'
Ms Nandy replied: 'He makes an extremely important point about accountability, and that is something that is not lost on me as the Secretary of State, and something that I've impressed upon the BBC leadership as well.
'When you have one editorial failure, it's something that must be gripped. When you have several, it becomes a problem of leadership.'
Conservative former minister John Glen said: 'I think we all in this place understand the fine editorial judgments that the BBC and their staff have to make, but this is of a completely different order, and when people are losing faith in the great institutions of this country, could I urge the Secretary of State, in her follow-up conversations that … the BBC actually identified accountability to individuals?'
He added: 'Somebody didn't follow that guidance, and I think the country expects people to be held individually to account for why they fail to do their job properly.'
Ms Nandy replied: 'I think people do expect people to be held to account for the way that they do their jobs, be that on the front line or at senior levels. It's a point that I've made to the BBC.
'They will have heard what he said and what (Mr Prinsley) said as well about accountability, and it's a point that I will continue to press.'
Jim Allister, TUV MP for North Antrim, described the live stream as 'an appalling pro-terrorist broadcast', adding: 'The BBC deliberately chose not to cut the broadcast, perhaps therefore it's time for Government to consider cutting the licence fee?'
Ms Nandy replied: 'He will know that this Government supports the BBC. We believe it is an important institution.
'That is why we are so disappointed that this has happened, why we have been so exasperated with the lack of account from the leadership, not just about this, but about a previous Gaza documentary and a number of other issues as well.
'The BBC is one of the most important institutions in our country, and that is the reason why it is held to the highest of standards.'
Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said: 'I wonder if the Secretary of State could say what explanation the BBC has given for why this live stream wasn't cut?
'Now it can't be for lack of staff on the ground. They took a reported 400 people to Glastonbury at the weekend. What were they all doing?'
Ms Nandy replied: 'I think she's right to raise the question of what the number of staff who were present at the Glastonbury Festival, or working on the broadcast, were doing.
'But I do think this also raises very, very serious questions at the highest levels of the BBC about the operational oversight and the way in which editorial standards are understood and reflected in the decisions that are made by individual staff.'
Shadow culture secretary Stuart Andrew called for an independent inquiry, claiming the BBC 'has repeatedly failed to call out antisemitic rhetoric, when it emerges under the guise of political commentary, and has faced serious allegations of minimising attacks on Jewish communities'.
Ms Nandy replied: 'What I want to see from the BBC, and I know he shares this, is rapid action to make sure this cannot happen again.'
She also claimed an Independent MP was 'aligning himself with antisemites'.
Ayoub Khan, MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, had accused the Government of 'hypocrisy' because it did not make a statement when Israeli football fans 'were chanting 'death to all Arabs'' in November last year.
Ms Nandy said she 'could not disagree more', adding: 'I think every member of this House will utterly condemn chants of 'death to all Arabs' – it's disgusting and disgraceful.'
She continued: 'The reason I have brought a statement to the House today is because our national broadcaster, which is funded by the licence fee, which is paid by the public in this country, has broadcast something that is deeply, deeply offensive to a community in this country, that has made many, many people feel and may actually have made them unsafe.
'Can I just say to him that as a longstanding supporter of justice for the Palestinians, he does nothing for the Palestinian cause by aligning himself with antisemites.'
In a point of order, Mr Khan said: 'At no stage have I said in my question or statement that I was aligning myself to anyone at that Glastonbury event.'
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Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
QUENTIN LETTS: Lisa flew into a prolonged riff tearing into Glastonbury and the BBC... Nandy was jammin'!
Well that should have Glastonbury 's founder Michael Eavis chewing his silly beard. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy came to the Commons to debate the BBC 's hate-rapper incident. Rather than excuse it, the minister flew into what I understand (guitar-speak) is called a prolonged riff. Nandy was jammin'! Both Glastonbury and the BBC were torn off a strip. For years the centre-Left has grovelled to Glastonbury, hailing it as a pinnacle of our culture. Labour MPs have attended its foetid mosh pits and chanted 'oooh Jeremy Corbyn ' alongside spliffy rich kids boogying in the mud and mire. MPs such as Tom Watson (now a Lord) sucked up to these designer-grungies and their ghastly eco-glamping. But all that was forgotten when Ms Nandy stood at the despatch box. She seized on this foul-up and on wider conduct at the festival, where terrorist flags and Nazi symbols were seen. Things were so bad that Jewish festival-goers had felt it necessary to create their own 'safe space'. All this from a venue that claims to be liberal. 'I have levers at my disposal,' Ms Nandy told the Commons, 'and I will not hesitate to use them.' She was 'exasperated' by the BBC and its poohbahs. 'I'm not satisfied with the explanation so far,' she cried. Not since the row over Blairites 'sexing-up' the case for war in Iraq has a Labour politician torn into the corporation in such a way. For Ms Nandy to sound cross is quite something. Normally she is as menacing as Sooty's little friend Soo. For all the harrumphing, do we believe the Starmerites would ever pull the ultimate 'lever' over the BBC and put it out of existence? Invited to do that by Reform's Richard Tice (Boston), she froze. But she certainly did well with this Commons display and even managed not to be booed – a miracle –when she made a reference to Sir Keir Starmer. It may or may not be worth noting that the Culture Secretary has been much tipped for demotion in a coming ministerial shuffle. After this performance she has made it harder for No 10 to sack her. The Conservatives' Stuart Andrew claimed that music festivals 'must appeal to the highest standards of social cohesion'. There speaks a man who plainly packs a chip butty for his picnic at Glyndebourne. No MP asked the obvious question: can the director general, Tim Davie, survive? But Peter Prinsley (Lab, Bury St Edmunds), fanning himself with a scrap of paper, did ask 'who on earth will be held accountable?' and John Glen (Con, Salisbury) said the public would expect 'people to be held individually to account'. Dame Caroline Dinenage (Con, Gosport) noted that the editing failures could hardly be for lack of staff. The Beeb had 400 people at Glastonbury, averred Dame Caroline, who chairs the culture select committee. 'What were they all doing?' They were surely in the beer tent. Or, being the BBC, it may have been the Pimm's tent. Or something more powdery. Sarah Sackman, justice minister, wandered in to listen to the debate. So, upstairs in the peers' gallery, did Luciana Berger, who has rejoined Labour after the anti-Semitism of the Corbyn years. Jim Allister (DUP, North Antrim) spoke of 'an appalling pro-terrorist broadcast on our national broadcaster'. Andrew Murrison (Con, SW Wilts) had written to the super-rich Eavises at Glastonbury – 'no reply, none expected'. The only dissent to the Beeb-knocking came from Ayoub Khan (Ind, Perry Barr), who wondered why the Government did not criticise 'death to all Arabs' chants by Israeli football crowds. Ms Nandy firmly told Mr Khan that was because it had not been broadcast by the BBC. Sammy Wilson (DUP, E Antrim) described Glastonbury-goers as 'young, middle-class, educated morons'. Rap may not be Sammy's thing. He is possibly more of a Dolly Parton fan. I must say, I can seldom understand a word rappers say or sing. No subtitles. Maybe that was why the BBC failed to cut the feed.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Times letters: BBC coverage of Glastonbury hate chants
Write to letters@ Sir, What a great many of us really find 'appalling', to use the prime minister's word to describe the nonsense spouted at a music festival by a band very few had previously heard of and even fewer will remember next week, is that he is more outspoken in his condemnation of this futile and forgettable puerility than he has ever been about the Israeli regime's killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians, including those desperately queueing for BryantLondon N16 Sir, I confess to being baffled by the criticism of the BBC for continuing to broadcast Bob Vylan at Glastonbury when the band's singer started to lead a chant of 'death to the IDF' ('BBC 'should have pulled coverage of hate chants' ', news, Jun 30). When a newsworthy event (as this clearly was) occurs during a live broadcast, surely cutting the feed is the last thing a broadcaster should do? It can hardly be interpreted as some form of SaundersLondon NW8 Sir, The call for the deaths of IDF soldiers is to be condemned — it was shameful and inexcusable. However, it was also almost to be expected given the continuing killing of Gazans by Israel, which is just as inexcusable. In his comment article ('A broadcasting failure that spread despair — and fear', Jun 30), Danny Cohen blames the BBC and the organisers of Glastonbury but omits to mention the continuing attacks on Gaza. We need to get things in WattPontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taf Sir, It is outrageous for anyone to suggest that the BBC should censor events as they happen. The event was broadcast live; taking it off air would have given even more publicity to this evil rant. The BBC should not, under any circumstances, be a party to censorship; the honesty of its output would never be trusted again if it TrendallOverton, Hants Sir, Bobby Vylan must be thrilled that not only was his venomous chanting on stage featured on the BBC but also on the front page of several national newspapers. As a friend of many Jewish people I am horrified that this publicity was given to DavidsonLondon W4 Sir, Surely the blame for inciting violence lies squarely with the performers; the BBC and Glastonbury Festival organisers should not be held responsible for lyrics. A heavy penalty or custody might make performers think twice about what messages they intend putting HardenPenrith, Cumbria Sir, If the politicians scrambling to condemn a minor pop group at Glastonbury had stayed their outrage for a few minutes they would have seen, in the same news broadcast, the bodies of children being brought out of the rubble in Gaza, killed by . . . the CotterillSprotbrough, S Yorks Sir, The BBC has always been one of the best things about living in Britain. However, after the toxic racist-antisemitic chanting at Glastonbury, surely, at the very least, the corporation should lose its monopoly of broadcasting live from the music festival, given that it is clearly incapable of exercising that right DavisRotherfield, E Sussex Sir, Martha's Rule has become a very important factor in the improvement of NHS medical care ('Martha's Rule helps hospitals to save 129 lives in six months', Jun 30). The parents of Bethan James are also making a hugely important contribution to patient safety. It is of considerable concern that there were 2,389 calls for second opinions in the first six months of Martha's Rule and 465 led to a change in care, possibly saving life. Why were all these first opinions (more than two a day) so flawed? This is not a trivial issue: lives were saved that would otherwise have been lost. Clearly there is a systemic problem here, just as there appears to be with maternity services. As a consultant surgeon with 50 years of experience, I would suggest two reasons: first, there is a lack of continuity of care because junior doctors are bound by the European Working Time Directive to work no more than 48 hours a week. Second, the British Medical Association has become obsessed with political issues and has totally lost the plot with respect to improving medical practice and saving lives. We in the medical profession should be very grateful to the Mills and James families for striving to improve medical care in the Allum FRCSConsultant orthopaedic surgeon, Farnham Common, Bucks Sir, Further to the letters (Jun 28) from Dr Jane Philip and Catherine Sedgwick, at present it is up to general practices to triage patients for the physician associate. There appear to be no rules governing this. I have seen some anxious patients after the physician associate made an incorrect diagnosis, gave a wrong interpretation of facts or missed a serious problem, and did not ask for help from a doctor. As physician associates do not have a medical background I have seen unnecessary expensive tests ordered. None of these physician associates have had a medical school interview to assess whether they are suitable to work as a doctor, ie a character Rosemary Alexander MRCPLocum NHS GP and private doctor, London NW9 Sir, Helen Millichap, the new national lead for violence against women and girls, is welcome proof that the government is determined to meet its pledge of halving violence against women by 2030 ('Meet the Met officer leading the war on violence against women', Jun 30). Millichap's aim to develop intelligence-led tactics to target domestic abusers as well as rapists and stalkers is timely: many senior police are concerned that after a few years in the post, many of their officers are suffering from 'domestic abuse fatigue'. On average every officer will be called out once a day to a 'domestic' and too often these end up with a victim refusing to report their abuser, or to leave or prosecute them. This discourages the police, who seek a just outcome. 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Where it is at the forefront, churches (in my experience) are growing, and even having to fit in more Sunday services to accommodate the MonroChair of trustees, Gafcon International; London EC1 Sir, Trevor Phillips compares the present government with 'a liberal pressure group, adrift from its roots, blown hither and thither by the breeze of fashionable opinion' ('How Keir's feeble grip on power got weaker', Jun 30). As Joanna Williams points out in the same edition, much the same can be said about Church of England ElliotBurford, Oxon Sir, Both the England Cricket Board (ECB) and Sports Medicine Australia have published guidelines for play in hot conditions. The two documents could not be more different. The Australian one gives specific guidance as to what constitutes low, medium, high and extreme risk conditions based on temperature and humidity forecasts given by the national meteorological office, and offers guidance on how to cope with such conditions. In contrast the ECB document is wishy-washy, leaving it up to the match organisers/officials to decide whether the conditions warrant special playing conditions, even though they have had no specific training in assessing extreme VlietstraCricket umpire; Fleet, Hants Sir, You mention the mission to make crosswords an Olympic sport ('Cryptic fans square off for first world title', news, Jun 29). Although this idea might surprise many, it should be seen in context. From 1912 to 1948 art competitions were included in the Olympic Games, and included architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture. More recently chess was an exhibition event at the 2000 à BrassardSports historian, London SW7 Sir, While I agree with Emma Duncan's recommendation to replace your Birkin with a sturdy Waitrose bag for life (Notebook, Jun 30), I've seen an even stronger recommendation of their utility. Their robustness makes them not only the carrier bag of choice for rough sleepers but also for shoplifters nipping into Sainsbury's on Kilburn High Road to raid the wine and spirits aisle then leg it with their booty secure. Both Hermès and Waitrose bags may denote an ability to circumvent the penalties of SmithLondon NW6 Write to letters@
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
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Welfare rebellion looms for Starmer despite concessions to Labour rebels
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