More than 80 senior politicians have written to the BBC urging it to stand firm against allegations of bias over its Brexit coverage.

In a letter to the director general, Tony Hall, coordinated by Labour’s Pat McFadden, a cross-party group of MPs and MEPs calls on the corporation to “resist attempts at political interference”, and “report fearlessly and impartially” on the negotiations as Britain leaves the European Union.

Signatories include Ed Vaizey, a Conservative culture secretary, Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrats’ leader, and Yvette Cooper, the Labour chair of the home affairs select committee.

The letter is a response to concerns about political pressure on the broadcaster, after about 70 MPs, most of them sympathetic to Brexit, signed a letter published in the Daily Mail and the Telegraph earlier this month, claiming the BBC was being too pessimistic about Britain’s prospects outside the EU.

McFadden and his co-signatories hope to strengthen the BBC’s arm, with the negotiations on leaving the EU set to begin in earnest after Theresa May triggered article 50 on Wednesday by dispatching a letter to Brussels formally declaring Britain’s intention to quit the EU.

The letter to BBC director general. Photograph: House of Commons

“The BBC and our broadcasters (unlike newspapers) are required to be objective and impartial by law,” the letter says. “The BBC rightly guards its independence and should resist attempts at political interference or pressure.”

“We expect the BBC to defend its independence and report impartially, robustly and fearlessly on all issues relating to Brexit and not succumb to any pressure to skew its coverage one way or another.”

The pair of letters – one attacking the BBC, and another defending it – underline the febrile atmosphere in which talks are set to get under way.



Lord Hall defended the BBC’s coverage after the critical letter, coordinated by Tory MP Julian Knight, was published earlier this month. “Impartiality has always been the cornerstone of BBC News. It remains so today,” he said. “We go to great lengths to ensure that we balance our coverage and address all issues from a wide range of different perspectives.”

The letter of complaint was signed by former cabinet ministers Iain Duncan Smith and Theresa Villiers.