Motion text
That this House is deeply concerned by proposals to reduce the number of staff working in the BBC Regional Political Unit based at Millbank by over a third; notes that the unit is the eyes and ears of the BBC English regions in Westminster, co-ordinating political newsgathering for the BBC’s early evening regional TV news programme, as well as the regional breakfast, lunchtime and late evening TV bulletins and Sunday political programmes and across all local radio output; further notes that the unit is often the only part of the BBC watching backbench business and adjournment debates where hon. Members can raise important local issues which might not make it onto the national news; fears that such a staff reduction will have an impact on capacity to spotting stories, keeping the regions informed about what their hon. Members are doing and enabling public awareness of questions and contributions from backbench hon. Members; is concerned by BBC management’s failure to identify the activities currently undertaken which will be withdrawn or diminished as a result of staff reductions; fears that such a reduction in staff numbers will substantially reduce the monitoring of backbenchers’ contributions and threaten a substantial fall in the number of local clips of hon. Members speaking in Parliament provided for TV and radio; and therefore calls on the BBC to ensure that it continues to finance a properly staffed Regional Political Unit so that the public can be well-informed on debates in Parliament.
Signatures (18)
The first 6 Members who have signed to support the motion are the sponsors. The primary sponsor is generally the person who tabled the motion and has responsibility for it. The date shown is when the Member signed the motion.
Mearns, Ian
Labour
Signed on
14 July 2021
Shannon, Jim
Democratic Unionist Party
Signed on
15 July 2021
Osborne, Kate
Labour
Signed on
15 July 2021
Barker, Paula
Labour
Signed on
15 July 2021
Mishra, Navendu
Labour
Signed on
15 July 2021
McDonnell, John
Labour
Signed on
16 July 2021
In addition to the sponsors, the following Members have signed to support the motion.
Johnson, Kim
Labour
Signed on
19 July 2021
Morris, Grahame
Labour
Signed on
19 July 2021
Long Bailey, Rebecca
Labour
Signed on
19 July 2021
Lavery, Ian
Labour
Signed on
19 July 2021
Bottomley, Sir Peter
Conservative
Signed on
20 July 2021
Hayes, Helen
Labour
Signed on
20 July 2021
Trickett, Jon
Labour
Signed on
21 July 2021
Burgon, Richard
Labour
Signed on
21 July 2021
Ribeiro-Addy, Bell
Labour
Signed on
22 July 2021
Chamberlain, Wendy
Liberal Democrat
Signed on
6 September 2021
Begum, Apsana
Labour
Signed on
25 October 2021
Maskell, Rachael
Labour
Signed on
24 January 2022
There are no withdrawn signatures for this motion.