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BBC payments to MP Diane Abbott 'breached guidelines' | BBC payments to MP Diane Abbott 'breached guidelines' |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The BBC Trust has ruled that Labour MP Diane Abbott should not have been paid appearance fees by political discussion show This Week for the past two years. | |
The fees paid to Ms Abbott, a regular guest with ex-Tory MP Michael Portillo and presenter Andrew Neil, should have stopped when she became a frontbencher. | |
The BBC claimed rules banning payments to MPs representing their parties did not apply as This Week was not a "normal" political show. | The BBC claimed rules banning payments to MPs representing their parties did not apply as This Week was not a "normal" political show. |
But this was rejected by the Trust. | But this was rejected by the Trust. |
The Trust also ruled the MP's appearances had been "too frequent" since she became a shadow minister. | The Trust also ruled the MP's appearances had been "too frequent" since she became a shadow minister. |
Complaint | Complaint |
In January Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird complained that Ms Abbott had received five payments of £839 and one of £869 for appearances on This Week since she was promoted to the Labour front bench in 2010. | |
The BBC's editorial guidelines state that MPs should not be paid for appearances where they are "speaking as a member of their party or expressing political views". | The BBC's editorial guidelines state that MPs should not be paid for appearances where they are "speaking as a member of their party or expressing political views". |
The guidelines allow for the payment of a realistic "disturbance fee" to cover the time and inconvenience involved in appearing in a broadcast but Lord Laird argued that the payments to Ms Abbott went beyond this. | The guidelines allow for the payment of a realistic "disturbance fee" to cover the time and inconvenience involved in appearing in a broadcast but Lord Laird argued that the payments to Ms Abbott went beyond this. |
BBC director general Mark Thompson responded to the peer in February, passing on the views of This Week's producers. | BBC director general Mark Thompson responded to the peer in February, passing on the views of This Week's producers. |
They said that while the guidelines state that they should not normally pay MPs to appear, This Week was "not a traditional political programme". | They said that while the guidelines state that they should not normally pay MPs to appear, This Week was "not a traditional political programme". |
They argued that, although Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo were asked to express political opinions, they also have a co-presenter role, interviewing other guests. | They argued that, although Diane Abbott and Michael Portillo were asked to express political opinions, they also have a co-presenter role, interviewing other guests. |
Ruling | Ruling |
Lord Laird complained again that the producers were being allowed "to flout the BBC's own editorial policy" expressing surprise at their assertion that This Week was "not a normal political programme". | Lord Laird complained again that the producers were being allowed "to flout the BBC's own editorial policy" expressing surprise at their assertion that This Week was "not a normal political programme". |
The Trust's Editorial Standards Committee ruled that payments to Ms Abbott totalling £6,712 - recorded in the MPs' Register of Financial Interests - constituted a breach of the guidelines. | The Trust's Editorial Standards Committee ruled that payments to Ms Abbott totalling £6,712 - recorded in the MPs' Register of Financial Interests - constituted a breach of the guidelines. |
Ms Abbott, who is MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, was a regular presenter of This Week until 2010, when she ran for the Labour leadership in the contest won by Ed Miliband. | |
During the leadership campaign she was replaced on the programme by other Labour politicians including Caroline Flint and Charles Clarke. | During the leadership campaign she was replaced on the programme by other Labour politicians including Caroline Flint and Charles Clarke. |
The new Labour leader appointed her to the front bench as shadow public health minister. | The new Labour leader appointed her to the front bench as shadow public health minister. |
At the time she tweeted: "No more 'This Week'. BBC management say I cannot be a shadow minister and be on the program (sic). Sad." | At the time she tweeted: "No more 'This Week'. BBC management say I cannot be a shadow minister and be on the program (sic). Sad." |
Her role was filled by other well-known Labour MPs including former home secretary Alan Johnson, but the BBC Trust recorded a total of eight subsequent appearances by Ms Abbott since she joined Ed Miliband's front bench team. | |
A spokeswoman for BBC News said that they "note the findings" of the Trust. | A spokeswoman for BBC News said that they "note the findings" of the Trust. |