SDLP's Colum Eastwood writes to Commons committee over BBC NI concerns

Colum Eastwood has written to the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport committee

The SDLP has asked a Commons committee to investigate "serious editorial and governance issues" within BBC NI.

The party's leader has written to the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.

Among concerns raised by Colum Eastwood are recent allegations about the BBC presenter Stephen Nolan.

In response, a BBC spokesperson said it "would welcome any further opportunity to talk with the SDLP about the BBC's work and the difference that it makes".

They also said that "fairness underpins our workplace policies, procedures and commissioning arrangements".

MPs on the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee can hold inquiries which include public hearings.

For instance, they recently questioned the ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall after the presenter Phillip Schofield left the network.

The cross-party committee also previously investigated the appointment of the former BBC chair Richard Sharp.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party leader's letter, seen by BBC News NI, raises a range of areas which he says have come to light within BBC Northern Ireland in recent months.

Mr Eastwood says he believes some of these claims could "contribute in a significant way to the erosion of confidence" in BBC NI management.

BBC presenter Stephen Nolan was the subject of allegations made by The Irish News newspaper

The letter comes following an apology by Stephen Nolan after a newspaper published allegations he sent sexually explicit photographs of a potential guest.

The Irish News reported a number of claims including an allegation that Mr Nolan sent images of Stephen Bear to his television production team in 2016.

Mr Nolan later apologised but said an image had been widely available on the internet and he had been "talking to a long-term friend and peer outside of work".

BBC News NI has not been able to independently verify the claims published by The Irish News.

The letter from Mr Eastwood states that he is concerned by accusations of "inappropriate behaviour" that if left unaddressed, could erode confidence in management from staff, the audience and wider public.

He urged the committee to give its "active attention" to the issue and laid out other areas he believes the committee should look at:

• "Editorial decision making which has led to a perceived imbalance in the output of individual programming"

• "Concerns about the scale of the extensive platforming offered to fringe groups that far outweighs their representation and support in Northern Ireland"

• "Governance concerns related to the management of independent production companies responsible for the co-production of BBC content"

• "Commissioning of programmes and the implementation of content competitive tender processes"

• "Issues of morale and organisational culture that have led to senior figures, particularly women, leaving the organisation following legal settlements"

• "A perceived unwillingness by the management of BBC Northern Ireland to publicly address the catalogue of matters that threaten to undermine the integrity of the broadcaster"

Mr Eastwood goes on to state that the issues "speak to the integrity of the BBC as a public service broadcaster" and its duty of care to both staff and the public to ensure "the highest standards of professionalism are upheld".

He added that his party's "abiding interest" was to maintain the integrity of BBC NI's output and "defending the incredible journalists, presenters, producers, staff and all those who make the BBC a special broadcaster".

When contacted by BBC News NI regarding Mr Eastwood's letter, a BBC spokesperson gave a statement which said: "We engage with politicians and stakeholders on a regular basis and would welcome any further opportunity to talk with the SDLP about the BBC's work and the difference that it makes, and how fairness underpins our workplace policies, procedures and commissioning arrangements.

"We are accountable for what we do and ambitious for the service that we provide.

"All of this work is informed by the same editorial values and aspires to the same standard of excellence.

"BBC Northern Ireland succeeds on the basis of its hard-won editorial record, reputation and independence - none of which we take for granted."