The Home Office removed an image of Huw Edwards from a Twitter post about its controversial Illegal Migration Bill after the BBC complained, according to a report.
The tweet, posted by the official Home Office account on Tuesday, was a video explainer on the bill with a thumbnail of Edwards, the face of the BBC’s News at Ten.
According to the Guardian newspaper, the BBC complained about the Home Office’s use of BBC footage in the video and asked them to delete it.
Instead, the clip was amended to remove Edwards from the first frame, it reported.
“Stopping the boats is my top priority and is one of the five promises the Prime Minister @RishiSunak has made to the British people.
— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) March 7, 2023
That is why today I am announcing a new Illegal Migration Bill.”
- Home Secretary, @SuellaBraverman 💬 pic.twitter.com/HbA5YkFIvu
A BBC spokesperson said: “We contacted the Home Office last week to object to their use of BBC footage and asked them to remove it.”
A Home Office spokesperson told the Guardian: “Showing news reports to set out context is common practice, it does not imply support for the bill.
“When we were informed that an automatically generated thumbnail displayed a newsreader, we immediately updated it.”
It comes after the BBC agreed Gary Lineker could return to Match of the Day this weekend, following his suspension after he criticised the government’s asylum proposals.
A wave of presenters, pundits and commentators pulled out of the corporation’s sports coverage in solidarity with Lineker, plunging the BBC into crisis.
In a statement released on Monday, BBC Director General Tim Davie said: “Gary is a valued part of the BBC and I know how much the BBC means to Gary, and I look forward to him presenting our coverage this coming weekend.”
Mr Davie said the corporation would launch an independent review into its social media guidelines, with a particular focus on freelancers outside news and current affairs.
Lineker said in the statement: “I am glad that we have found a way forward. I support this review and look forward to getting back on air.”
