BBC presenter tells Woman’s Hour she quit as China editor after ‘botched’ offer to raise her pay to nearer that of male counterparts

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The BBC presenter Carrie Gracie has said she could not collude in unlawful pay discrimination after resigning as China editor in protest against unequal remuneration.

In her first full interview since leaving the post, Gracie said she was offered a 33% pay increase but rejected it, claiming she wanted equality, not more money.

Carrie Gracie’s dispute with the BBC isn’t about money – it’s about integrity | Anne Perkins Read more

Speaking on Monday to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, the journalist said: “I could not go back to China and collude knowingly in what I consider to be unlawful pay discrimination. Nor could I stay silent and watch the BBC perpetuate a failing pay structure by discriminating against women.”

Maria Miller, a former cultural secretary who is now chair of the House of Commons women and equalities select committee, urged the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate the BBC for breaching Gracie’s right to equal pay.

Speaking to BBC News, she added: “Alternatively, they could take a test case, like the Carrie Gracie case, to court to demonstrate to other employers that this is a serious matter and not something to brush under the carpet and that they are at risk of being taken to court over.”

Maria_Miller (@MariaMillerUK) Evidence suggests @BBC is breaking law using Licence Fee money @EHRC has to use statutory powers to urgently investigate #IStandWithCarrie https://t.co/9gGDUHiYmz

BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) "The support that I've had speaks to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system."@BBCCarrie says she has been moved by the support for her resignation over gender pay row. More here 👉 https://t.co/pMJE08Hsoq#r4today pic.twitter.com/J1KuTF40kg

Gracie confirmed that she first lodged an equal pay complaint in August after the BBC was forced to disclose the salaries of employees earning more than £150,000 a year.

In a letter to licence fee payers, Gracie said she was dismayed to discover the BBC’s two male international editors earned “at least 50% more” than their two female counterparts.

The North America editor, Jon Sopel, earned between £200,000 and £249,999, while the Middle East editor, Jeremy Bowen, earned between £150,000 and £199,999.

Gracie said: “My pay is £135,000. The BBC offered to raise that to £180,000. However, I was not interested in more money, I was interested in equality. I didn’t feel it was a solution.

“I felt it was a divide-and-rule botched solution that would not make the BBC better … This was not equality; there was still a big gap between myself and my male peers.”

The BBC confirmed that staff had been told that, under its impartiality rules, anyone who showed support for Gracie could no longer report on the issue.

To circumvent the rules, Gracie was interviewed by the Guardian contributor and former media editor Jane Martinson. She was asked whether she wanted a pay cut for male journalists.

“I believe in public service broadcasting and I do think salaries at the top are unacceptably high both for presenters and stars of various kinds, and also for managers. But I don’t have the information to say this needs to happen … I do stand by what I say about the BBC being a secretive organisation on pay and I think it is very inappropriate,” she said.

Gracie said she had yet to hear the outcome of a grievance hearing held in November and had resigned in frustration. “The BBC said it hoped to have a grievance outcome before Christmas, but there is still no grievance outcome to this day. I just decided enough was enough,” she said.

She also pointed out that her role was one of the most important and demanding at the BBC.

She told the programme how much she had been moved by the support. Briefly interviewed by her co-presenter John Humphrys, whose £600,000-plus pay packet is at more than four times hers, Gracie said: “The support that I’ve had in the last few hours over this … does speak to the depth of hunger for an equal, fair and transparent pay system.

“What is lovely for me is that people are mentioning my China work, because I would not wish to be remembered forever as the woman who complained about money.”

Humphrys interrupted her to say “too late, too late”, before going on to praise his colleague’s stint as China editor.

Gracie said: “I want to be remembered as the person who did some fine China work, and enough people are saying that for me to feel that will not get buried as a result of all this.”

Sarah Montague, the worst paid of the regular Today programme presenters, was one of 130 broadcasters and producers to sign a message of support for Gracie’s protest.

Sarah Montague (@Sarah_Montague) Statement from #bbcwomen in support of @BBCCarrie #EqualPay #IStandWithCarrie pic.twitter.com/tueh1aCW8W

It urged the BBC to “urgently address pay inequality across the corporation” and pointed out that 200 women at the BBC had made pay complaints.

A number of politicians voiced their support, including the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, the shadow work and pensions secretary, Debbie Abrahams, and the former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman.

Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) This @BBCCarrie letter is a must read. All respect to her. https://t.co/9CvZrsyWLR

The Labour peer Lord Foulkes, who demanded that Gracie reveal how much she was paid during a live interview about MPs’ pay in 2009, said he agreed with her campaign for parity.



A BBC spokesman said: “Fairness in pay is vital. A significant number of organisations have now published their gender pay figures, showing that we are performing considerably better than many and are well below the national average.

“Alongside that, we have already conducted an independent judge-led audit of pay for rank-and-file staff which showed no systemic discrimination against women.

“A separate report for on-air staff will be published in the not too distant future.”