Next BBC boss ‘must be a Tory’ - Boris Johnson

Published on 14/05/2012 14:00

THE next boss of the “statist, corporatist, defeatist” BBC must be a Tory, according to Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The outspoken politician described the organisation as “statist, corporatist and defeatist” and said the guarantee of funding from the licence fee left BBC staff with “an innocent belief that everything in life should be ‘free”’.

He said: “No wonder - and I speak as one who has just fought a campaign in which I sometimes felt that my chief opponent was the local BBC news - the prevailing view of Beeb newsrooms is, with honourable exceptions, statist, corporatist, defeatist, anti-business, Europhile and, above all, overwhelmingly biased to the Left.”

Mr Johnson said the corporation treated eurosceptic views as “if they were vaguely mad and unpleasant” and “completely ignored” the private sector.

He said the next director general, replacing Mark Thompson who is stepping down later this year, should be someone who is “free-market, pro-business and understands the depths of the problems this country faces. We need someone who knows about the work ethic, and cutting costs. We need a Tory, and no mucking around”.

A BBC spokeswoman refuted accusations of bias and insisted the BBC News is committed to impartiality.

“Our approach means asking difficult questions of politicians, businesses and unions alike.

“People with trenchant views often find this process uncomfortable but our audience expects us to challenge those in power, as well as those who seek it.”