A news executive at BBC Scotland has been moved to a new post after staff threatened industrial action following a grievance and allegations of bullying against him.



John Boothman, head of news and current affairs at BBC Scotland, is being shifted with immediate effect to join the team overseeing the BBC’s preparations for charter renewal next year, staff were told on Tuesday by the controller of BBC Scotland, Ken McQuarrie.

The Guardian revealed on Friday that Boothman had lost a grievance complaint against him taken out by Zoe MacDonald, a BBC camerawoman and daughter of the late nationalist politician Margo MacDonald, after she recorded him being abusive about her and her mother in February.

An internal staff survey had meanwhile confirmed there was widespread unhappiness in BBC Scotland’s newsroom about management decision-making, while a health and safety survey commissioned by the National Union of Journalists found very high levels of stress in the department.

The BBC survey showed that only 19% of news and current affairs staff believed bullying complaints against their managers would have a “positive outcome”, only 20% felt bullying would be fairly dealt with and only 16% had confidence in Boothman’s decision-making.

In a letter emailed to BBC Scotland staff, MacQuarrie said: “We are now entering the most important period of work ahead of the forthcoming charter review discussions as we shape our plans for the future of BBC Scotland.

“I am writing to let you know that John Boothman, head of news and current affairs, will be joining the team working on Scotland’s proposals for charter review. Working [for] Bruce Malcolm, he will play a key role focussing on service development for Scotland including our news offer for audiences for the new charter period.

“Pete MacRae will take on the role of head of news and current affairs on an interim basis until a permanent appointment is made.”

Boothman had had a private discussion about MacDonald and other BBC staff with a personnel executive, who has since left the BBC, in a broadcasting gallery at its Edinburgh studios without realising the microphones were live.

MacDonald was eating lunch in the next gallery, and overheard their conversation, recording it on her mobile phone. Backed by colleagues and her stepfather, the former Scottish National party MP Jim Sillars, she made a formal complaint against Boothman.

The complaints were raised earlier this month with Tony Hall, the BBC’s director general, during a meeting with unions, where Hall requested a written summary of the grievances circulating within BBC Scotland.

Paul Holleran, the national organiser for the NUJ in Scotland, said there would be “palpable relief” in the newsrooms after the announcement and said the union believed that industrial relations at BBC Scotland could be “turned around very quickly” after Boothman’s transfer.

“The NUJ welcomes the transfer of John Boothman out of his current role, he has overseen a period of damage to the health and morale of many of our members which we believe has affected the quality of news delivery during his tenure,” Holleran said.

“We have seen industrial action including strikes and work to rules; stress levels have gone through the roof as highlighted in union and BBC surveys and mainly because of his management style there has been a complete breakdown in industrial relations at times.”

Boothman offered MacDonald a “fulsome” apology last week, more than a month after he lost the grievance hearing, after the NUJ and broadcast union Bectu told management of growing discontent amongst BBC Scotland journalists and camera crews.

The crisis culminated on Friday in a tense meeting between the NUJ and BBC management, where the NUJ warned that unless Boothman was moved, the union would ballot BBC Scotland journalists on taking industrial action.

They were surprised that MacQuarrie, who oversaw the BBC’s investigation earlier this year into bullying allegations against Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, had not acted earlier. Staff sources say there had been a series of conflicts and grievances involving Boothman and journalists.

Senior staff at BBC Scotland feared the controversy has potentially significant political implications for the corporation after it came under intense criticism last year from nationalists for alleged bias against Scottish independence.

Regarded by some colleagues as a gifted political journalist and news editor, Boothman is also married to a former Scottish Labour MSP and minister, Susan Deacon, fuelling nationalist claims of bias by the BBC.