London, 26 November (H.S.): Former BBC board member Shumeet Banerji has released his resignation letter accusing chair Samir Shah of poor governance during the corporation’s bias crisis, saying he was not consulted on critical decisions preceding the exits of Director General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness. The disclosures add to scrutiny after parliamentary questioning of senior BBC figures over a Panorama edit of a 2021 Donald Trump speech.

What happened

Banerji shared his resignation letter with BBC News, detailing events he says led to the departures of Davie and Turness following the Panorama controversy that misled viewers by splicing parts of Trump’s 2021 address. The crisis intensified after a leaked memo from former external adviser Michael Prescott triggered board-level deliberations and public criticism.

What the letter alleges

Banerji wrote that Turness was told she lacked the confidence of a board majority and that he was not invited to any meeting where such a decision was to be discussed, calling the process insufficiently deliberative. He argued the board acted “in the white heat” of press pressure and questioned whether the departures would strengthen the BBC.

Chair’s response

Appearing before MPs, Shah said he had consulted Banerji and twice cited a “26-minute call” with him as the crisis unfolded, rejecting the claim of non-consultation. The committee’s chair, Caroline Dinenage, later questioned whether the BBC was in “safe hands,” increasing pressure on Shah’s leadership amid the dispute over governance.

Why it matters

The resignations followed backlash over a Panorama programme that edited Trump’s remarks, prompting the BBC to apologise while resisting compensation demands as legal threats mounted. The episode has exposed divisions within the board and raised concerns over decision-making, communications, and editorial accountability at the UK’s public broadcaster.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar