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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Toby Helm, Political Editor, & Vanessa Thorpe

Labour pledges to strengthen the BBC’s independence and protect funding

The shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell.
Extending BBC charter period: the shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

Labour has pledged to strengthen the BBC’s political independence and retain it as a publicly-owned, public service broadcaster at the heart of British life, amid signs that a Tory government led by Liz Truss would wage war on the corporation.

Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, told the Observer she is examining a series of reforms to insulate the BBC from political pressures, including ending “revolving door” appointments of people in politics to top posts in the corporation, and extending the charter renewal period from 10 to 15 or 20 years to reduce pressures on BBC leaders to toe the government line.

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