Lisa Nandy fumes BBC must ‘grip issue of culture’ after probe into Tim Westwood

The BBC should do more, according to Lisa Nandy MP, who is against the results of their investigation into Tim Westwood.

Following the license-payer-funded company’s apology, it follows a statement from the license-payer-funded company that “might have led to action” against Mr. Westwood. The report examined reports and complaints about Westwood’s alleged behavior and how they were handled, and it cost $3.3 million.

The BBC said: “it is clear there were times where the BBC, on learning about concerns regarding Mr Westwood’s behaviour, did not take adequate action”. At the request of the Metropolitan Police, the organization put a stop to publishing their report in December of last year. DJ Westwood, 67, has previously strongly denied “all allegations of inappropriate behaviour”, along with any wrongdoing.

Before quitting Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013, Westwood worked for the BBC for nearly 20 years. Westwood declined to participate, the review’s barrister claimed in the report, but his lawyers responded with a statement. It said he “strongly denies that his behaviour ever amounted to bullying or harassment”, and said some people “behaved poorly towards” him.

Today, Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary met with Tim Davie, the BBC’s Director General, during which, they spoke about the review into the alleged behaviour of Westwood. Tim Westwood’s accusations are “very serious,” they say. Nandy remarked that the BBC should be trusted as our nation’s broadcaster because it is crucial for staff and the general public.

She continued, “There have been far too many instances of appalling behavior in the media industry, and there has been a culture of silence for too long.” This cannot continue. I made it clear to the BBC Board and Executive in my discussion with the BBC Director General that they must address the issue of workplace culture and respond quickly to the independent review they have ordered.

The BBC Board thanked Gemma White KC for her review after it was finished, according to the BBC Board. It is thorough, rigorous and comprehensive. We accept it in full. Over 120 individuals, most of whom were interviewed, contributed information to the review and thousands of records from the time were examined. We want to thank the individuals who have participated. Many people who otherwise might not have been heard have been heard thanks to the review.

The Board of Directors decided to review how the BBC handled issues involving former BBC DJ Tim Westwood when he was at the BBC from 1994 to 2013 following inquiries from BBC News and the Guardian in 2022. Due to the seriousness of the allegations made, the Board requested an independent review in order to ensure credibility and trust (especially given that many of the people who reported allegations in 2022 expressed doubts about their coming forward because they were concerned that they would not be believed) and to ensure that an investigation of such a long period of time could be properly resourced.

“We do not know the full scope of the issues that the investigation is looking into, despite the fact that there is a police investigation into Mr. Westwood right now. If the police request the report, we will assist them in any way we can. Mr. Westwood has consistently refuted all claims of improper behavior or deed.

It is worth noting, at the outset, that the report finds that Mr. Westwood had no known or significant knowledge of allegations or concerns about predatory sexual behavior. However, it is obvious that the organization occasionally lacked opportunities that might have spurred action. Instead of being brought together, allegations were treated separately. The BBC might have seen a pattern of behavior that it could have changed if it had happened.

” Beyond assessing any alleged criminality, which is a matter for the police, it is clear there were times where the BBC, on learning about concerns regarding Mr Westwood’s behaviour, did not take adequate action. Mr. Westwood’s behavior is consistent with misogynistic and bullying, and it is obvious that his general attitude was completely incompatible with BBC values, not just now but then. People who had a right to expect better from us, including our own staff, were let down by the organization and let down.

The report concludes with a number of observations about the shortcomings of the BBC’s policies and practices at the time, such as the lack of a system to take all the relevant questions and concerns alongside each other. The Board has requested that the Executive respond to the review’s conclusions, outline the changes made to policies and procedures over the past 12 years, and recommend any further steps that could be taken. The Board has also requested that Change Associates take this report into account when conducting the “Respect at Work – Abuse of Power” review. The Board continues to be concerned about abuse of power, and BBC leadership must constantly strive to do better.

The Board also wishes to apologize to anyone who has been affected by what the review has discovered during this occasion. The review’s findings will further strengthen the fight to prevent it from occurring again because your voice has been heard. Tim Westwood declined to participate, according to the barrister who was in charge of the investigation.

His attorneys claimed in a statement that he had initially been told to “report to the controller” about this unacceptable behavior and that he had been given a clear message to change it. The production staff made it clear that they did not agree with Tim’s decision to move to a new slot in 2009, and the lawyer also asserted that the lawyer was wrong.

” The environment felt competitive and hostile, “he added”. It was toxic from the outset. Mr. Westwood put in a lot of effort and standards into the show. He expressed his disapproval of some of his coworkers’ poor attitude to work and low productivity on occasion and their inability to concentrate with the audience. He acknowledges that this caused some of the teams he worked to be in a divisive state.

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Source: Mirror