Head of Commons media committee denies writing article accusing BBC of bias

Excoriating article under Caroline Dinenage’s name remains on ConservativeHome website

It was a crisis that toppled a BBC director general and his head of news . After contentious accusations of bias by a former external adviser, Michael Prescott, both Tim Davie and Deborah Turness quit the corporation.

At the height of the media storm that ensued last November, the corporation was struck by another blow. A key figure in scrutinising the BBC – the chair of the Commons culture, media and sport committee – delivered an equally damning verdict.

In an article for the ConservativeHome website , Conservative MP Caroline Dinenage said Prescott’s claims “made plain what many viewers have sensed for some time: a pattern of institutional bias within BBC News and current affairs”. She also accused it of “deep anti-Israel bias”.

The issue, she wrote, “runs into the very culture, editorial mindset and assumptions that have shaped the BBC for years”.

It was a strong take for a figure who would no doubt be involved in examining the claims Prescott had made. A problem has emerged with the excoriating article, however – Dinenage now says she did not write it.

Dinenage was quizzed about the article by the BeebWatch podcast, fronted by former BBC Radio 4 presenter Roger Bolton. However, before the episode was released, the podcast was contacted by Dinenage’s office to say that neither she – nor her team – had written the article, which did not accurately reflect her views

“[The article] was strong stuff coming from the supposedly independent chair of a committee helping to decide on the BBC’s future, so naturally I raised these statements with Ms Dinenage in our interview,” Bolton said .