Starmer and Trump did not discuss BBC Panorama fallout in call
Sir Keir Starmer ducked raising the legal challenge between Donald Trump and the BBC when he spoke to the US president on Sunday.The 30-minute call between Mr Trump and the prime minister focused on Ukraine, according to the readout, with sources admitting he did not discuss the BBC.Sir Keir had been under pressure to intervene over the row between the White House and the BBC after the broadcaster had apologised for the presentation of the US president’s 6 January speech in a Panorama programme and Newsnight report.However, with senior figures at the BBC, including chair Samir Shah, set to give evidence in the Commons today over the fiasco, the president has made it clear he intends to go ahead with suing the corporation for $1bn.Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey had urged Sir Keir to intervene to protect the BBC and a call between the president and prime minister had been expected for more than a week.But sources now admit that the subject of the BBC was not raised, as Sir Keir instead tried to press the president on his controversial plans for Ukraine.It comes as the BBC chair is set to join BBC board member Sir Robbie Gibb and former editorial adviser Michael Prescott in facing questions from MPs on Monday. They will be quizzed about the corporation’s editorial standards guidelines in the evidence sessions with the culture, media and sport committee, set to begin at 3:30pm. The recent call between Donald Trump and Keir Starmer focused on the US president’s Ukraine plans More

