The BBC director general has tonight overturned the decision to reprimand Naga Munchetty after her comments about Donald Trump's 'racist' language.

Ms Munchetty was found to have breached editorial guidelines when she reacted to Trump's 'go back home' remarks to four Congresswomen on BBC Breakfast on July 17.

But in a message to BBC staff tonight, Tony Hall, said: 'The Executive Complaints Unit ruling has sparked an important debate about racism and its interpretation.

'Racism is racism and the BBC is not impartial on the topic. There was never a finding against Naga for what she said about the President's tweet.'

The BBC's about-face comes after the Guardian revealed correspondence of the original complaint today, which showed co-host Dan Walker had also been complained about for leading Ms Munchetty into her comments.

It sparked further outrage from those who felt Ms Munchetty had been scapegoated by the public broadcaster because the original complaint accused both presenters of 'left-wing and anti-Trump bias.'

Naga Munchetty was found by the BBC to have breached editorial guidelines when she reacted to Trump's 'go home' remarks to four Congresswomen on BBC Breakfast on July 17 (pictured: Ms Munchetty alongside co-host Dan Walker)

BBC director general Tony Hall's message to staff: 'The Executive Complaints Unit ruling has sparked an important debate about racism and its interpretation. 'Racism is racism and the BBC is not impartial on the topic. There was never a finding against Naga for what she said about the President's tweet. 'Many of you asked that I personally review the decision of the ECU. I have done so. I have looked carefully at all the arguments that have been made and assessed all of the materials. I have also examined the complaint itself. 'It was only ever in a limited way that there was found to be a breach of our guidelines. These are often finely balanced and difficult judgements. 'But, in this instance, I don't think Naga's words were sufficient to merit a partial uphold of the complaint around the comments she made. 'There was never any sanction against Naga and I hope this step makes that absolutely clear. She is an exceptional journalist and presenter and I am proud that she works for the BBC. 'I have asked the editorial and leadership teams to discuss how we manage live exchanges on air around these topics in the future. Our impartiality is fundamental to our journalism and is what our audiences expect of us.' Advertisement

Speaking on the July 17 show, Ms Munchetty told Mr Walker: 'Every time I have been told, as a woman of colour, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.

'Now I'm not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean. I can imagine lots of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious that a man in that position feels it's okay to skirt the lines with using language like that,' Munchetty added.

The BBC's executive complaints unit (ECU) ruled that Ms Munchetty had crossed the line.

The public broadcaster faced ferocious backlash over its decision, with a petition calling for it to be reversed attracting more than 14,000 signatures.

Stars including Sir Lenny Henry, Gina Yashere and Adrian Lester told the BBC its position in rebuking Ms Munchetty was 'deeply flawed' and 'illegal' in a letter.

Elsewhere, the likes of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Chancellor Sajid Javid are among those who criticised the ruling and aired support for Ms Munchetty.

Criticism mounted today after the Guardian revealed the original complaint and how the BBC had proceeded to take action against Ms Munchetty alone, rather than the pair of presenters.

The original complaint said: 'Dan Walker, whilst interviewing a guest about President Trump's recent tweets regarding 4 Democrat politicians in the USA, repeatedly expressed incredulity that anybody could defend Trump's tweets.

'Very unprofessionally, he then asked his fellow presenter Naga Munchetty for her personal opinions on this news story! She foolishly complied with his request and launched into an attack on Trump, including stating that she was personally 'furious' about his comments.'

BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall said: 'Racism is racism and the BBC is not impartial on the topic. There was never a finding against Naga for what she said about the President's tweet'

The original complaint said: 'Dan Walker, whilst interviewing a guest about President Trump's recent tweets regarding 4 Democrat politicians in the USA, repeatedly expressed incredulity that anybody could defend Trump's tweets'

The complaint went on to say: 'They are employed as presenters not political commentators and as such should at least feign impartiality. It's about time they were reminded of this.'

The BBC initially defended Ms Munchetty, saying she 'made it clear that she was making a general point and not accusing anyone of anything.'

However, a second complaint was sent by the viewer asking for further investigation.

'Dan Walker asked Naga Munchetty to comment SPECIFICALLY on the SPECIFIC tweet sent by a SPECIFIC person (President Trump). She said that she was SPECIFICALLY 'furious' about the SPECIFIC words used by that SPECIFIC person in a SPECIFIC tweet,' the second complaint read, adding a reasonable person wouldn't class the comments as a 'general point.'

'If you are content for your supposedly impartial presenters to make biased political statements, just say so. If you are not, then my complaint should be upheld and words of advice given,' it went on.

In an interview with Radio 4's Today programme, the BBC's editorial standards chief, David Jordan said Ms Munchetty was 'led down that path unfortunately by her co-presenter [Walker] as you heard on that clip.'

Presenter Nick Robinson replied: 'Well, that raises the question some have asked – I don't want to get our fellow presenter into trouble – they say: well, why pick her out, if they're both guilty of it?'

Mr Jordan replied: 'Well, I'm afraid the executive complaints unit can only deal with the complaints that it receives.'

In another interview on the BBC's Newswatch programme Mr Jordan implied that Ms Munchetty was the sole subject of the complaint.

David Jordan, BBC Director of Editorial Policy & Standards. On the BBC's Newswatch programme Mr Jordan implied that Ms Munchetty was the sole subject of the complaint

'The simple fact is we haven't had a complaint about Dan Walker's role,' he said on the Newswatch programme. 'The complaint was about Naga Munchetty.'

In an interview with Radio 4's Today programme, the BBC's editorial standards chief, David Jordan said Munchetty was 'led down that path unfortunately by her co-presenter [Walker] as you heard on that clip.'

The director general's email this evening continued: 'Many of you asked that I personally review the decision of the ECU. I have done so. I have looked carefully at all the arguments that have been made and assessed all of the materials. I have also examined the complaint itself.

'It was only ever in a limited way that there was found to be a breach of our guidelines. These are often finely balanced and difficult judgements.

'But, in this instance, I don't think Naga's words were sufficient to merit a partial uphold of the complaint around the comments she made.

'There was never any sanction against Naga and I hope this step makes that absolutely clear. She is an exceptional journalist and presenter and I am proud that she works for the BBC.

'I have asked the editorial and leadership teams to discuss how we manage live exchanges on air around these topics in the future. Our impartiality is fundamental to our journalism and is what our audiences expect of us.'