Local BBC news plays vital role and must stay, says Rees-Mogg

Jacob Rees-Mogg has praised local BBC programming and said it “must be kept up” after the public service broadcaster admitted it was considering cutting both the award-winning Inside Out series of investigative programmes and regional political debate shows in England.

Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP for North East Somerset and the leader of the House of Commons, noted that David Garmston, who presents Sunday Politics West – one of the programmes facing the axe –  was “one of the most popular figures around and it is very important that local television is kept up.”

Somerset’s daily BBC news programme, Points West, was “more watched, proportionately, than EastEnders, which is an indication of how popular these programmes are and the local service that they provide”, Rees Mogg added.

But despite this support, he said the future of BBC programming was a matter for the BBC when asked to grant a parliamentary debate on the issue by Liz Twist, the Labour MP for Blaydon in Tyneside.

Twist has written to Helen Thomas, the BBC’s director of English Regions, asking for the rationale behind the cuts to regional programming.

“Regional television output has performed strongly during the current pandemic and has provided balanced, professional and forensic reporting,” wrote Twist. “It is vitally important that communities in the north-east and across the UK are given a voice, and that our politicians can be held to account.”

She called on Thomas to justify the decision, asking: “At a time when our regions are feeling increasingly disconnected and left behind from Westminster politics, how does the BBC intend to continue to serve our local communities and provide scrutiny to our elected representatives?”

Other MPs have criticised the move. Jacob Young, the Tory MP for Redcar on Teesside, tweeted: “Regional Politics shows are so important to help understand what’s going on in our area. The politics of the north-east are very different to that of London. [Presenter Richard Moss] and team have always been professional, insightful & balanced in their programming- hoping to see a return soon.”

Simon Clarke, the Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, tweeted: “It’s extremely concerning that Politics North has no return date. It’s a good programme, produces insightful reports and constitutes an all-too-rare extended format for debate on key regional issues. Hope @BBCNews will ensure it comes back to our screens.”

The broadcaster has previously said it will need to make a further £125m of spending cuts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic hitting commercial revenue and licence fee payment.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We’ve cancelled the second series of Inside Out this year and will continue with our single political programme for England through to the summer. These decisions allow us to prioritise our resources while providing the best possible service for our audiences during the current situation.

“Separately we are taking a thorough look at what we do in England. This is driven by the BBC’s significant financial challenges and efforts to learn lessons from the Covid-19 crisis.”