Lisa Nandy demands ‘accountability at highest levels' after Bob Vylan broadcast
Lisa Nandy told the Commons she has heard from the BBC but was "not satisfied with the response".
Lisa Nandy, makes a statement in the House of Commons
(Image: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire/PA Images )
Ministers expect "accountability at the highest levels" for the BBC's decision to screen Bob Vylan at Glastonbury, the Culture Secretary has said.
Lisa Nandy told the Commons she has heard from the BBC but was "not satisfied with the response".
Punk duo Bob Vylan led chants of "death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)" during their Worthy Farm set last weekend, and face an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police.
London's Metropolitan Police is also investigating the two Bobs – who perform using the aliases Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan – for allegedly making similar comments at Alexandra Palace in May.
Conservative shadow culture secretary Stuart Andrew told the Commons: "Given the BBC are seemingly able to pull live broadcasts when things go wrong at football matches, for example, it's extraordinary that this didn't happen on this occasion.
"Can the Secretary of State update the House on the discussions she's had with the BBC, and why the same thing didn't happen on this occasion?
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"What due diligence was carried out by them about the acts that were performing?
"And given as she's said we're still waiting for a response to the previous Hamas documentary, is she satisfied with those conversations she's had and the urgency that the organisation are taking?"
Ms Nandy replied: "No, the answer is that I'm not satisfied with the response that I've had."
The Culture Secretary previously made a ministerial statement in the Commons on Monday, when she said "it should have been foreseeable that there would be problems with broadcasts".
She told MPs then that she wanted "rapid action to make sure this cannot happen again".
In Thursday's update, Ms Nandy told MPs: "I have received a reply to the very many questions that were raised by colleagues on all sides.
"I'm not satisfied with that, and I have gone back to the BBC leadership to ask for further information, in particular, as he mentioned, about the failure to pull the live feed, about the due diligence that was done prior to deciding to screen this act, and also about the level of senior oversight that took place in the BBC during the Glastonbury weekend.
"I think the BBC leadership will hear and have heard the strength of feeling in this House about this, and I expect further answers to be forthcoming imminently."
The corporation removed the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from its online iPlayer platform in February after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.
In a follow-up question, Mr Andrew said: "I'm as disappointed as she is that they haven't been able to come back with even basic facts.
"There were hundreds of BBC staff there and not being able to identify who ultimately had the final decision on whether to broadcast or not is not acceptable, and I think the chairman (Samir Shah) needs to inform her as a matter of urgency who that was and what action they are going to take.
"While I absolutely understand the independence of the BBC, just as artists can't hide behind artistic expression for vile commentary, neither can the BBC hide behind independence for accountability, and I hope she knows she has the full support of this side of the House as she pushes them for clarity."
Ms Nandy said she was "grateful" that Mr Andrew had made "the very important distinction between independence and accountability".
She continued: "Given the seriousness of what happened – and particularly we heard in the House and I was able to bring to the House the absolute shocking stories of the impact that this has had on the Jewish community in this country – given the seriousness of this, I would expect there to be accountability at the highest levels."
The BBC board met on Tuesday "to hear what actions will now be taken" in response to the broadcast, according to Mr Shah.
"I am satisfied that the executive is initiating a process to ensure proper accountability for those found to be responsible for the failings in this incident," he said.
Bob Vylan's performance was not made available to watch or listen to again on the iPlayer or Sounds platforms, but the live feed remained up until it was amended shortly after 8pm.
"Any music performances deemed high risk will now not be broadcast live or streamed live," according to a BBC statement.
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"Editorial policy support will always be available on site at major music festivals and events, to improve compliance processes and the speed of available advice, and we will provide more detailed, practical guidance on the threshold for withdrawing a live stream."
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