Oral Answers to Questions

Cameron Thomas Excerpts

Thursday 16th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray]

The Secretary of State has been clear about this. In March she said, at the Society of Editors future of news conference, that the Government will

“will tread carefully and cautiously about regulation…as any right-minded Government should.”

Fearless journalists must be able to hold the Government to account, but there are also concerns that people are turning away from news and losing trust in issues that, as the hon. Member said, are very serious. I am happy to meet her to discuss such issues. The Government are closely following trends in media consumption. In an age of considerable increasing misinformation and disinformation, including press intrusion, we want to get this right.

[Cameron Thomas (Tewkesbury) (LD)]

5. What steps she is taking to support the BBC.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)]

This Government believe strongly in the BBC. I recently announced at the Society of Editors event that the charter review period, which is incredibly important, will be the last of its kind. We intend to ensure through the charter process, subject to Parliament’s approval, that the charter puts the BBC on a permanent footing, so while the funding and terms of the BBC will continue to be renegotiated by successive Governments, its right to exist will never again be called into question.

[Cameron Thomas]

Trump donor Larry Ellison and his son David own CBS News, will soon own CNN, and part-own TikTok. In 2024, Ellison senior’s Oracle paid a six-figure sum to Hanover Communications, for whom Michael Prescott was a managing director. One year later, Prescott’s leaked internal memo landed the BBC a $5 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump. Rupert Murdoch and GB News founder Robbie Gibb know that when you own the news, you own the people. I believe that our independent news broadcaster is under attack from within and without. How are the Government going to protect it?

[Lisa Nandy]

As I said, we intend to put the BBC on a permanent charter, precisely because we believe it is a vital and essential part of our democracy, and it must be able to hold us all to account without fear or favour, free from political interference. The hon. Gentleman alludes to particular appointments to the board. I do not have the power to change those appointments, but I do have the ability to review them through the charter review, which I will do. When it comes to Governments overseas, we will always defend the BBC’s right to hold those in power to account, whoever they are.