A former Welsh secretary has accused the BBC of forgetting that “England exists" and being an "enthusiast for devolution". Sir John Redwood, who was secretary of state for Wales from 1993 to 1995, made the comments during a Commons debate on the future of local BBC radio on Thursday, December 8.
Mr Redwood, who has been the MP for Wokingham since 1987, said he believed the national broadcaster "wishes to create phoney regional groupings instead of truly local radio" and had a "very distorted view of devolution". He said: "The BBC seems to be an enthusiast for devolution to Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales but it does not even know England exists.
"It always wants lopsided devolution." The debate came after the BBC announced in October plans to cut a number of programmes from local radio stations in England.
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Mr Redwood said he felt the BBC offered "a distorted version of what our constitution should look like within the United Kingdom and a wish to impose that – against the clear majority wishes of people whenever they have been asked about these subjects in referendums and elections". Mr Redwood added that England was "scarcely ever mentioned – it is never suggested it should have any powers or right to self-government and there is no engagement with English issues on BBC radio in the way that there is a clear engagement with Scottish, Welsh or Northern Ireland issues. That causes enormous resentment."
The proposals announced by the BBC in October will see all 39 radio networks in England keep their current schedule from 6am to 2pm but after that shows will be shared. From 10pm during the week and on Sunday afternoons there will be a single shared 'all-England' programme for all stations. The changes are expected to lead to the loss of around 48 jobs. Live sports programming will not be affected.
Rhodri Talfan Davies, director of nations for the BBC, said at the time that the cuts were needed "to grow the value we deliver to local audiences everywhere" and would help the broadcaster "connect with more people in more communities right across England".
Having been appointed to the UK Government cabinet as secretary of state for Wales in May 1993 following a reshuffle Mr Redwood made headlines the same year for a gaffe when he attempted to mime to the Welsh national anthem at the Welsh Conservative Party conference without knowing the words. He later received criticism in Wales for a number of decisions including from the Countryside Council for Wales when he decided to cut its grant by 16% and also when he returned £100m of Wales's block grant to the Treasury unspent in 1995. He later resigned and and stood unsuccessfully against John Major in the party leadership election in June 1995.
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