BBC staffing cuts ‘unacceptable’

BBC staff cuts are unacceptable, especially in the run-up to the referendum on independence, culture secretary Fiona Hyslop has declared.

Politicians are right to be concerned about plans to cut 35 jobs, 17 of which are in news and current affairs, Ms Hyslop told MSPs at Holyrood. She was responding to Edinburgh Southern SNP MSP Jim Eadie, who said there was a “mood of despondency” among staff.

He said: “To undermine the work of dedicated staff and to short-change licence fee payers in Scotland at a time when the national debate needs to be rigorous and extensive, it is not only damaging for the BBC’s reputation as a world-class public service broadcaster, but is in fact nothing short of a national disgrace.”

The BBC wants to reduce its budget by 16 per cent by 2016-17.