Ex BBC boss Tim Davie explains why he stepped down and admits 'we did make a mistake' over Trump speech
Tim Davie gave a speech to staff where he explained his reasons for stepping down
Outgoing director BBC general Tim Davie has laid out the reasons behind his decision to quit in a speech to staff.
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He told employees that criticism of the Panorama documentary on Trump, the upcoming Charter renewal and the ‘relentlessness’ of the role meant he had enough.
He admitted the BBC “did make a mistake” over Trump’s speech and that “some mistakes have cost us” in a 40-minute speech to staff.
He also said it was important for the BBC to continue the ‘fight’ for its journalism.
He described the BBC’s work as “precious,” telling staff: “We have to be very clear and stand up for our journalism.
“We are a unique and precious organisation, and I see the free press under pressure, I see the weaponisation.
“I think we’ve got to fight for our journalism. I’m really proud of our work, and the amazing work locally, globally, that we’re doing is utterly precious.”
Earlier, a government minister told LBC the BBC should apologise to Mr Trump if they made an "editorial mistake" with the editing of his speech in a Panorama documentary.
Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said that the BBC is likely "chock full" of policies on what they should do when they make editorial mistakes, adding: "So I think they should stick to it."
She continued: "I think if they've made errors, I think the answer to that is better quality journalism and to invest in that journalism so that we can have the standard of programmes we all want from the BBC."
The comments come after President Trump gave the BBC a deadline of Friday to retract “false” and “defamatory” statements made about him in a Panorama documentary, or face a billion-dollar legal action.
The BBC has faced backlash over a programme made last year that explored Mr Trump's role in the January 6 riots, where more than 1,000 of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
Read more: Trump threatens to sue BBC for $1 billion as US President sets out three demands
The Panorama episode is alleged to have “completely misled” viewers by splicing together two moments from the President's speech to make it appear he was telling his supporters he was going to the Capitol building with them to "fight like hell".
In reality, the President said he was going to walk with his supporters "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard".
Despite questions over the BBC's impartiality and standards, Ms McGovern has shown her support for the corporation and denied that standards are slipping.
She told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: "If you look at the levels of trust people have in the BBC, it's extraordinarily high.
"I think the BBC are in a unique place. They can bring stories from my constituency in Birkenhead and they deal with massive global issues too, and they have this incredibly high level of trust.
"The thing that I would ask of them, as a politician, you know, I won't always like the questions I'm asked by any journalist, but the thing I would ask of them is invest in that proper journalism.
"And if you've made mistakes, say sorry."
BBC chairman Samir Shah said the corporation would like to “apologise for that error of judgment” over the editing of the speech.
The apology followed the resignation of two of the corporation’s most senior figures on Sunday – chief executive of BBC News Deborah Turness and director-general Tim Davie – who announced their departure from the BBC after concerns were raised in Michael Prescott’s report.
Mr Shah, who was responding to a letter from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS), said there have been more than 500 complaints since the publication of the memo adding: “We accept that the way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action.”