The whirlwind that started when Deborah Turness came under attack at a board meeting is part of a wider political story, some say
When Deborah Turness, the now departed BBC News chief, was first invited to a meeting with the corporation’s board a few weeks ago, there was little to suggest it would be a particularly significant encounter.
But instead of a routine meeting, she came under attack over an item added to the agenda.
The lengthy confrontation that followed set off an extraordinary series of events that ultimately ended in her resignation and that of the BBC director general, Tim Davie – and raised questions about politically motivated interference with the corporation’s news operation.
The board wanted to discuss a letter – and accompanying 8,000-word memo – it had received from Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), who was making broad claims of bias at the organisation.
