The BBC has rejected the government’s criticism of a Panorama investigation which reported vital items of personal protective equipment (PPE) were missing from the UK’s stockpile.
Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, wrote a formal complaint to the BBC director general, Tony Hall, claiming the corporation risked losing the public’s confidence.
Last week, Panorama reported that vital items of PPE, some of which are now in short supply, were left out of the UK’s stockpile when it was established in 2009.
Several accusations followed, including that a number of NHS workers who were interviewed were reported to be members or supporters of the Labour party.
In the letter, published in part in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Dowden wrote: “I am sure you will agree that it is vital that public confidence is maintained in the BBC’s long-standing reputation for fair and balanced reporting, and that any damage to that would be deeply concerning.”
Mr Dowden said he was sure Lord Hall “will agree that at a time of heightened risk of misinformation and disinformation, it is more important than ever that the BBC upholds the values and standards we all expect”.
He added: “The public should be able to turn to the BBC for transparent, unimpeachable, reliable news.”
However, the BBC said it stood by the programme, telling The Guardian it would respond to Mr Dowden’s letter in due course.
A spokesperson referred to a statement earlier this week, which said the sources for its PPE report were not the doctors who appeared on the show.
The spokesperson also highlighted comments made by the prime minister, Boris Johnson, earlier this week, when he said: “I’m not going to minimise the logistical problems we’ve faced in getting the right protective gear to the right people in the right place, both in the NHS and care homes.”
