A “RELUCTANT” BBC whistleblower who said the broadcaster had become so “risk-averse” that its impartiality was being undermined and investigative journalism “endangered” has sent a batch of scripts to regulator Ofcom to back up his claims.
John Sweeney, who worked for the corporation for 17 years, listed Newsnight, Panorama and BBC News investigations which he said were either not broadcast or were weakened by management.
He told Ofcom he wanted it to investigate BBC News and Current Affairs over films relating to the far-right, Russia and Brexit which were not aired, others which were, but were “improperly compromised”, and senior journalists who had “been allowed to compromise BBC editorial values by taking financial inducements or benefits in kind”.
Sweeney, who left the BBC in October, said he passionately believed in the BBC’s mission and many of his colleagues who did “great work for the public good”.
He added: “It is exactly because of that belief that I feel compelled to share what I know from the inside of BBC News and Current Affairs.
“BBC management, led by director-general Tony Hall, has become so risk-averse in the face of threats from the far-right and the Russian state and its proxies that due impartiality is being undermined and investigative journalism is being endangered. Films have been not broadcast or enfeebled. Senior journalists have taken money or benefits in kind from big tobacco, a dodgy passport-selling company, and proxies for the Russian state.”
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Among his concerns were a Panorama programme on far-right activist Tommy Robinson, which was to be aired in February or March. He said it contained fresh information on Robinson’s links with German far-right sources and had the potential to explore how he was being indirectly funded by Kremlin money. He said: “Robinson set out to intimidate the BBC. Not broadcast.
“Our Newsnight investigation into Lord Mandelson which caused him to change his House of Lords’ register recording money he got from a Russian company connected to the mafiya.
“After a direction intervention by Mandelson’s friend, then BBC head of news, James Harding, the investigation stopped. Not broadcast.”
Another concern was over a Newsnight investigation into Henley and Partners, which he said was a “dodgy passport-selling firm” which had tried to silence Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia before she was assassinated.
Sweeney told The National: “I do not want to overstate the significance of my complaints. Ofcom have been in touch and say they will get back to me in the new year.”
The BBC has been approached for comment, but Ofcom would not comment on an ongoing investigation.
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