Details of BBC White Paper, a copy to review + explanation of support for the BBC

Today we published our White Paper ‘A BBC for the future: A Broadcaster of Distinction". You will be able to find a copy of it here: gov.uk/government/publications/a-bbc-for-the-future-a-broadcaster-of-distinction

It is the result of a thorough period of consultation, including two specially-commissioned independent reviews, a public opinion study, several roundtable events with industry representatives and a public consultation that attracted the second highest number of responses ever to a government consultation. We have taken close account of all the findings in drawing up our proposals.

The BBC is one of this nation's most treasured institutions that continues to command a central role in the lives of so many people here in the UK and overseas. The new Royal Charter will put in place the right supporting framework to strengthen the BBC so that it continues to thrive in a fast-changing media landscape and goes on delivering the best possible for service for licence fee payers. It will:

·         Overhaul how the BBC is governed, make it more accountable to the licence fee payer and strengthen its independence. A new, strong unitary board for the BBC will be set up. In contrast to the previous BBC Governors and the current BBC Trust, the BBC will be responsible for appointing at least half of the board members. There will be a much clearer separation of governance and editorial, and the charter will last 11 years to take charter renewal out of the political cycle with a mid-term review. Ofcom, which has a proven track record as an independent media regulator will provide strong external regulation to ensure that the BBC is delivering its purposes and acting fairly.

·         Ensure the BBC focuses on high quality, distinctive content that serves all communities who make up our common national identity. The need for distinctiveness will be at the heart of the BBC's overall core mission of informing, educating and entertaining. We expect to see more ambitious programming across TV and radio, and will support the Director General in his aim to create a BBC that is 'more distinctive than ever - and clearly distinguishable from the market'. This does not mean that the BBC should not also be popular - some of its most distinctive programmes like Sherlock, Strictly Come Dancing and the Jeremy Vine Show enjoy wide audiences because they are so good.

·         Embed the core principle of impartiality in its overall mission. This is to ensure the BBC remains the most trusted provider of high quality news in the UK and abroad.

·         Support the creative industries. BBC commissioning will move to full competition with the existing in-house guarantee removed for all BBC content except news - allowing the independent production sectors to bid for an additional hundreds of millions of pounds of production. The BBC will also support and invigorate local democracy through a new partnership with local news providers. In addition, a new small contestable public service content fund will allow other broadcasters and producers to make more public service content in areas that are currently underserved such as programmes for children and for black and minority ethnic audiences.

·         Keep the BBC - and Britain - standing tall on the world stage. We will protect funding for the World Service, arguably the BBC's most unique and distinctive service, and give it an additional £85m annually so it can represent the UK and its values around the globe.

·         Increase transparency and value for money. The BBC receives £3.7 billion from the licence fee  and it is essential that this is spent wisely. To help ensure this, the National Audit Office will become the BBC's financial auditor. The board will also be required to ensure that the BBC is transparent and efficient in its spending with those enjoying remuneration packages greater than £450,000 being identified in broad bands.

·         Support the BBC with a modern, sustainable and fair system of funding. The licence fee remains the most appropriate funding model for the next Charter period and will rise in line with inflation to 2021-22 at which point there will be a new settlement. There will be pilots of a more flexible payment system to help those on lower incomes and the investigation of licence fee evasion will be made more effective and fair. The BBC will also explore whether additional revenue could be raised at home and abroad from extra subscription services sitting alongside the core universal fee.

The BBC is a trusted institution that is admired across the globe. Our proposals are intended to ensure that it continues to thrive, providing high quality distinctive programmes, delivering value for money and acting as an engine for growth and creativity in every part of the UK.

BBC is not biased, but it's not always right either

Lots of press this last weekend about BBC bias. I don't really buy that. I have been interviewed repeatedly by BBC journalists on radio (at 6.50am last week, in the pitch dark outside Westminster) and on TV last week, from Look North, and the Sunday Politics, to Newsnight last week.

Journalists are human beings and the BBC is in a ratings war with commercial papers, radio and TV. Sometimes they overstate the case. So it was last week. The fight with journalist Norman Smith over his use of the "Road to Wigan Pier" comparison with future governments reductions in public sector is a storm in a teacup. We all know that living within our means is not bad, indeed that is the only way we can protect our vital public services in the long term. Living on borrowed money and paying millions in interest payments is not a sustainable future.

I also believe the BBC goes to great lengths to get balance in reporting. Occasionally reporters search for a hook, angle or key line to grab the public's interest; that is what happened here.

The BBC is not a private sector business, and sometimes that is indeed evidenced in its outlook and attitude, but all the same we are very lucky to have it.

Sunday working in Westminster but with lots of sport for company

I am trying to catch up on the mountain of emails and ongoing issues, and prepare for the coming week in Westminster, which promises to be very busy. However, although the day will be long, I have a lot of sport - form Le Tour to the Grand Prix and Wimbledon to keep me company.

Tomorrow we have Home Office Business, a debate on Universal Credit and I am going to the Bright Blue Event and speaking briefly there. Tuesday we have the Modern Slavery Bill in the House of Commons and I have everything from Home Office PPS work on a Terrorist debate first thing to a meeting with the Falkland Island Government Representatives, plus an update from Foreign Office Ministers on the situation in Iraq and Syria. Wednesday there are opposition day debates on Housing and Education, and I hope to speak in Westminster Hall first thing on local plans. Wednesday night I am meeting with Women to Win and some of the candidates I have mentored. 
Thursday I have a breakfast meeting with the BBC [hate breakfast meetings - who was it who said - "only dull people are brilliant at breakfast?"] followed by Transport Questions and an all day debate on European Policy and JHA Opt outs.

We have several constituency phone calls, surgeries and Westminster visits this week, notably Hexham's Hermione Crisp who is in the London office for work experience this week.

This is getting too French! Has Miliband bank speech thrown away the election?

Ed's latest economic speech, featuring his idea of shutting rural bank branches is the worst in a long line of policy disasters, that are beginning to become almost Francois Hollande in their ineptitude. Here are the words of some of the commentators, who have piled in this afternoon:

Dan Hodges, son of Glenda Jackson, and seasoned Westminster reporter, said:
"What was most depressing about Miliband's speech was his dismissal of deficit reduction. Labour has just given up on the macro-economy."


Nick Robinson of the BBC drops a bomb - "Ed, how are you going to tell your party they can't have what they want - massive spending?"

BBC comments: Miliband is "like an arsonist who burns your house down and then criticises your choice of fire engine".
Institute of Directors boss Simon Walker has his say:

“The state has a very poor history of creating competition in banking. The last time the Government told a bank what to do, Lloyds was ordered to sell branches to Rev. Flowers, and we all know how that ended.”

Again not my words - but here is the summation of the car crash from the papers: 
http://www.theweek.co.uk/uk-news/56905/miliband-bank-debacle-has-he-just-thrown-away-election

Westminster this week

Four days in Westminster this week, then heading north on Friday to open the Trinity Court Housing Project of ISOS, and appear on the Sunday Politics in the North East on BBC1. The Westminster week features a private meeting with the Business Minister Michael Fallon today, Justice Questions on the issue of prison reform tomorrow plus further debate on the Lobbying Bill this week. I also have meetings with Richard Benyon, the Agriculture Minister and the key officers of the APG on Arch Cru are having a meeting with Hugh Aldous, the man charged with the task of recovering as many of the losers money as is possible in this sorry saga. I will try and get called at PMQs on Wednesday.
On the issue of the Lobbying Bill it is still being revised and I welcome all the emails I have received. On this occasion I have not gone through all the 38 Degrees legal advice or responded piecemeal as the Bill is constantly changing in Committee and debate, which is what happens on all Bills - a fact that seems to pass by the 38 degrees organisation. We spend days responding to the 38 degrees campaigns, and will send out the full response at the conclusion of the Bill process, but the key point is this:
The registration and spending limits apply to all third parties that incur controlled expenditure. Charities and any other third parties, will only be required to register and then comply with the spending limits, if they are undertaking activities that can reasonably be regarded as intended to promote or procure the electoral success of a party or candidate.
The Bill, put simply, requires those who want to influence the outcome at a General Election to be transparent in doing so, while preserving the freedom to speak out on issues which Civil Society has always enjoyed in this country.

Bear in mind my campaign budget in Hexham at the last election was around £10,000 - the figure is restricted by law, and the expenditure very tightly controlled and fully transparent. A similar rule applies for county council elections. Any third party charity or campaign group can outspend the
candidate by many times. I do not consider such very limited regulation of third party, charities, and campaign groups to be wrong.
Making this process more transparent is a good thing in my view. As I say, I read all the emails and will happily respond to individual voters and the actual 38 Degrees team - who now will interestingly not reply to my letters - but it is my intention to vote for the Bill.