Today, Culture Secretary Nadine Dories denied that she threatened to reduce the BBC’s funding after a heated interview between Nick Robinson (left) and Boris Johnson (right).
Oct. saw it claimed that Ms. Dorries confided to her allies that the host had told her that she was a’miracle worker.After he clashed against the Prime Minister, he told him to stop talking and cost the BBC lots of money.
However, she said to MPs that she “loves” the upcoming election.Never made that comment and never criticised Nick Robinson.
The Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee heard that her comment was attributed in The Sunday Times. But, she stated, “But nobody can really say it.”
Nadine Dorries, Culture Secretary today denied that Boris Johnson and Nick Robinson had threatened to end BBC funding.
In October, it was reported that Ms Dorries told her close friends that the BBC had lost a lot of money after the host clashed with Prime Minister David Cameron and asked him to stop talking.
Oliver Dowden, who was the Culture Secretary at the Cabinet Reshuffle in September, was succeeded by Ms Dorries.
One of the responsibilities is to oversee negotiations between BBC and Government regarding the future licensing fee.
In the past, Ms. Dorries has criticized the broadcaster and claimed that it had a left-wing bias.
One time, she described the state-run TV as “more in line with a Soviet country”
She insisted after she became Culture Secretary that she did not want a ‘war’ with the broadcaster but suggested it would have to set out how it will change before the next licence fee settlement, which covers the five years from April 2022.
The issue of bias and the BBC was raised by MPs during today’s committee hearing, prompting Ms Dorries to say: ‘Just for clarity on the Nick Robinson point, I think I might be able to anticipate what you may be saying next, is that I have never criticised Nick Robinson.
‘I don’t recall hearing the interview that I was to criticise and I didn’t make the comment. I just thought I would add it in in case you weren’t clear.
She said, “It was attributed to me, but no one can say it was my words.”
On the day of the Conservative Party Conference speech, the PM did a series broadcast interviews with Mr Robinson and Mr Johnson.
In October, Mr Johnson and Mr Robinson clashed as Mr Robinson conducted broadcast interviews in preparation for his Conservative Party conference speech.
Mr Robinson pointedly told Mr Johnson that it was the premier’s first appearance on the Radio 4 Today programme for two years.
During the interview, Johnson was interrupted by Robinson during his lengthy response. Robinson said to him, “Prime Minister, please stop talking. We will have questions, answers and not just your talk.”
At the end of the interview, Mr Johnson said: ‘It’s very kind of you to let me talk… I thought that was the point of inviting me on your show.’