BBC staff rally as Dyke says he'd take job back

Published on 06/02/2004 00:00

BBC staff took to the streets yesterday to protest against attacks on the corporation in the wake of the Hutton Report - and to rally in support of the former director general, Greg Dyke.

About 200 staff demonstrated outside Television Centre in west London and further protests were staged in Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne, Manchester and Cardiff.

Staff support for Mr Dyke, who was forced to quit by the BBC’s governors, came as he revealed that he would return to his former job if asked.

Mr Dyke told Broadcast magazine: "I was absolutely overwhelmed by the response of the staff, but also from the general public. Obviously in certain circumstances, if I was asked to go back of course I would go back. But I think it’s very unlikely."

Yesterday’s two-hour protest, which was organised by the National Union of Journalists and the technical union BECTU, came after last week’s walk-outs by staff angered at the criticisms in Lord Hutton’s report.

The resignation of Mr Dyke and the chairman, Gavyn Davies, came after Lord Hutton’s critique of the BBC, following the report that the government had "sexed up" intelligence on Iraqi weapons.