Tony Blair says BBC should ‘stand up for itself’ as staff warned against ‘damaging’ Huw Edwards gossip

AFP via Getty Images

The BBC should “stand up for itself more”, Sir Tony Blair has suggested amid the furore following allegations made against Huw Edwards, as broadcaster bosses were claimed this weekend to have warned staff that “gossip will not be tolerated”.

With the BBC still facing questions – and a grilling in parliament next week – over its handling of allegations against its star presenter, published by The Sun and its own news programmes, new polling suggested a slim majority of the public felt the broadcaster had dealt with the situation “badly”.