Laura Kuenssberg warned BBC must get house in order | UK News

Secretary of State for the Home Department Shabana Mahmood has said the BBC “needs to get its house in order” in a fiery debate with Laura Kuenssberg about the company’s apology to Donald Trump. Keir Starmer appeared to throw his help behind the BBC after the US President had threatened to sue the company for between $1bn and $5bn. On her eponymous Sunday morning BBC show, Kuenssberg requested the MP: “What ought to the prime minister say to Donald Trump about the mess at the BBC?

She replied: “Well, look, I’m not going to remark on any conversations that would possibly happen between the prime minister or the president, but the federal government, the Prime Minister, and the remainder of the federal government have made it very clear we help the BBC. It is an important national establishment. Impartial news has never been more important, but that’s why we do say to the BBC, it is actually important, you have apologised [but] you have acquired to get your house in order as nicely.”

She went on: “But we’re supporters of the BBC, and we imagine it has an important position to play in our national life, and standing for neutral news in an ever more contested world.” “Should they provide Donald Trump any money?” Kuenssberg pressed as the threat of a lawsuit hangs over the broadcaster.

Mahmood insisted: “That will not be one thing that I’m going to remark on, because if there are conversations taking place, I’m not going to present a operating commentary on them. The BBC wants to get its own house in order, but it’s an establishment that we completely help.

The scandal erupted after Panorama spliced together two components of Donald Trump’s January 6 speech — practically an hour aside — to create the impression he had inspired supporters to storm the US Capitol.

The company admitted its edit created a “mistaken impression,” but insisted the error was unintentional and denied any foundation for defamation.

However, Trump has since slammed their apology, saying that if it was “unintentional,” then they would not have needed to apologise. In an exclusive chat with GB News presenter Bev Turner, Trump said: “It’s fine,” he said. “We apologise! But when you say it’s unintentional, I guess if it’s unintentional, you don’t apologise.

“They made a stunning assertion, and they made it into a not stunning assertion,” he continued. Known for his love of the phrase “faux news,” the President said: “This is past faux. This is corrupt.”