UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey urges Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to intervene in US President Donald Trump’s dispute with the BBC over an edited speech.
As reported by The Independent, Sir Keir Starmer faces calls to intervene after Donald Trump threatened legal action against the BBC, despite the broadcaster issuing an apology.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, 14 November, President Trump said he plans to sue the BBC for
“anywhere between 1 billion dollars (£759.8 million) and 5 billion dollars (£3.79 billion), probably sometime next week”
after its apology over the Panorama speech edit.
He also indicated that Keir Starmer had reached out, with both leaders expected to speak over the weekend.
What did Ed Davey say about Keir Starmer and Donald Trump’s BBC lawsuit?
Ed Davey has called on the prime minister to insist that Donald Trump drop his “ludicrous” BBC lawsuit, saying Keir Starmer now has a chance to
“stand up for Britain.”
He said,
“This is Keir Starmer’s moment to stand up for Britain, for every TV licence fee payer in the country and for a free press that can hold the powerful to account.”
Mr Davey stated,
“When he speaks to Trump, Keir Starmer must demand that he drops his ludicrous lawsuit and stops interfering in our country.”
The Liberal Democrat leader added,
“The prime minister has spent months cosying up to the president. If he can’t stop him attacking one of our most precious institutions and hitting millions of licence fee payers in the pocket, what was it all for?”
What did the BBC say about the Donald Trump January 6 speech edit?
Earlier this week, the broadcaster amended its edit of President Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech, saying it had created the
“mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action.”
The broadcaster admitted that the edit of the speech was an “error of judgment” and offered an apology, but refused to provide financial compensation despite the president’s lawyers threatening a $1 billion lawsuit unless a retraction and apology were published.
A BBC spokesperson said Chair Samir Shah personally wrote to the White House to apologise for the editing, while the broadcaster’s lawyers contacted Trump’s legal team.
The spokesperson added,
“While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim.”
A week before the 2024 election results, the programme merged two clips, making it appear that President Trump was speaking directly to the audience, saying,
“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”
The broadcaster announced it would not air the Panorama episode and issued a retraction on its website.
What did Donald Trump say about suing the BBC after their apology?
Donald Trump confirmed he will pursue legal action against the BBC, despite the broadcaster issuing the apology he requested for a misleading edit.
He said,
“We’ll sue them for anywhere between a billion and $5bn, probably sometime next week. We have to do it.”
President Trump stated that the edit was “impossible to believe.”
He added,
“I made a beautiful statement, and they made it into a not beautiful statement. Fake news was a great term, except it’s not strong enough. This is beyond fake, this is corrupt.”
What did Downing Street say about Donald Trump’s threat to sue the BBC?
Downing Street refused to comment on the president’s legal action over the BBC’s edited speech, saying,
“This is a matter for the BBC.”
A Number 10 spokesperson said,
“It’s clearly not for the government to comment on any ongoing legal matters.”
When asked whether the government would help the BBC pay any damages to President Trump, a spokesperson called it a “hypothetical question.”
The prime minister’s official spokesperson added,
“Again, it’s not for the government to comment on any ongoing legal matters. Our position is clear: the BBC is independent and it’s for the corporation to respond to questions about their editorial decisions and, more broadly, we have a close relationship with the US on shared priorities, including security.”
Which media organisation previously had a legal dispute with Donald Trump?
US media company Paramount agreed in July to pay Donald Trump $16 million (£13.5 million) to settle a lawsuit over a 2024 CBS interview with former vice-president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
The recent legal dispute also saw the resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness.
Who is the owner of the BBC?
The British Broadcasting Corporation is owned by the public and operates as a public corporation. It was established under a Royal Charter, which is granted by the British monarch and reviewed roughly every ten years.
The UK government is responsible for establishing the Royal Charter, and the public funds the BBC mainly through a television license fee. However, Ofcom regulates its content and standards to ensure its independence and public service role.