Sir Robbie Gibb: who is BBC board member, what did ex Newsnight host Emily Maitlis say about him in speech?

Emily Maitlis is now a podcast host at LBC with former BBC colleague Jon Sopel
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Emily Maitlis has thrown the BBC’s impartiality into question, after accusing the public broadcaster of having a Conservative Party ‘agent’ - Sir Robbie Gibb - sitting on its board.

It comes just six months after the ex-Newsnight presenter joined radio station LBC from the corporation alongside fellow ex-BBC journalist Jon Sopel.

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One of the highlights of her time at Newsnight was the extraordinary TV interview she conducted with Prince Andrew about allegations of sexual assault and his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

So what did Emily Maitlis say about the BBC - and who is Sir Robbie Gibb?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Emily Maitlis conducted a famous interview with Prince Andrew about sexual assault allegations and links to Jeffrey Epstein (image: PA)Emily Maitlis conducted a famous interview with Prince Andrew about sexual assault allegations and links to Jeffrey Epstein (image: PA)
Emily Maitlis conducted a famous interview with Prince Andrew about sexual assault allegations and links to Jeffrey Epstein (image: PA)

Who is Sir Robbie Gibb?

Sir Robbie Gibb, 58, is a former journalist who has since moved into public relations.

He has strong political links with the Conservative Party, having been a student activist for them.

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Gibb’s brother is Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Nick Gibb.

One of the earliest mentions of him was in 1997, when he was the chief of staff to former MP and coalition government cabinet minister Francis Maude - now Lord Maude of Horsham.

Sir Robbie Gibb served as director of communications to Theresa May when she was Prime Minister (image: Getty Images)Sir Robbie Gibb served as director of communications to Theresa May when she was Prime Minister (image: Getty Images)
Sir Robbie Gibb served as director of communications to Theresa May when she was Prime Minister (image: Getty Images)

By 2002, he had moved away from politics and to the BBC, where he worked as deputy editor of flagship political news programme Newsnight.

He remained there until 2008, when he was promoted to being the head of the public broadcaster’s live political output and Westminster operation.

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It meant he had oversight of major political shows, including the Andrew Marr Show and coverage of the Budget.

His appointment came just weeks after a disastrous General Election result for the Conservatives that hobbled the May administration.

Sir Robbie Gibb has been accused of meddling in BBC editorial affairs (image: PA)Sir Robbie Gibb has been accused of meddling in BBC editorial affairs (image: PA)
Sir Robbie Gibb has been accused of meddling in BBC editorial affairs (image: PA)

Over the next two years, Parliament struggled to decide how to proceed with Brexit - an impasse that ultimately led to May’s downfall in July 2019.

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Robbie Gibb is a prominent supporter of the UK’s exit from the EU.

After working in Downing Street, Gibb became a senior advisor at PR firm Kekst.

His profile on the company’s website describes him as a “champion of impartiality in broadcast journalism”.

At the same time as working in this role, Gibb has helped to found news channel GB News and also took up a role as a director of newspaper the Jewish Chronicle.

Sir Robbie Gibb was a former journalist at Newsnight (image: PA)Sir Robbie Gibb was a former journalist at Newsnight (image: PA)
Sir Robbie Gibb was a former journalist at Newsnight (image: PA)
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In May 2021, he was also appointed to the BBC board as a non-executive member by Boris Johnson government - a role he will hold until May 2024.

It means he has a responsibility to uphold and protect the corporation’s independence and ensure it delivers on its mission to inform, educate and entertain.

While this role means he should not have any dealings with day-to-day operations or specific editorial judgements, BBC media editor Amol Rajan has previously reported his appointment “clearly strengthens” the BBC’s links to the Conservative Party.

Emily Maitlis has now accused Gibb of directly meddling in the broadcaster’s coverage (more on that below).

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It is not the first time Gibb has been accused of overstepping the remit of his role over the past year.

He was accused of attempting to block the appointment of ex-Huffington Post editor Jess Brammar as BBC News editor on political grounds - an allegation that was denied by the BBC.

In his role, he has also been an influence on the corporation’s decision to introduce externally-led impartiality audits of BBC output.

Meanwhile, Gibb has penned several blog posts and columns that have been heavily critical of the BBC.

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In pieces for the Daily Telegraph, he has spoken of a “default left-leaning attitude” at the corporation, “anti-Brexit bias and metropolitan group think” in its coverage of Brexit, and “endemic” bias.

What did Emily Maitlis say about Robbie Gibb?

Emily Maitlis was giving the prestigious MacTaggart memorial lecture at the Edinburgh international television festival when she made her comments about Robbie Gibb.

The former Newsnight presenter left the public broadcaster in February to host a new LBC podcast with former BBC North America editor Jon Sopel.

During her speech, she accused Gibb of being an “active agent of the Conservative Party” who was altering the BBC’s news output through being “the arbiter of BBC impartiality”.

Emily Maitlis has thrown the BBC’s impartiality into doubt (image: PA)Emily Maitlis has thrown the BBC’s impartiality into doubt (image: PA)
Emily Maitlis has thrown the BBC’s impartiality into doubt (image: PA)
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Maitlis also pointed to his former government role and position as a “former adviser to BBC rival GB News” as being of major concern.

Her comments about Gibb came after she reflected on when she was rebuked under impartiality rules for criticising former Boris Johnson adviser Dominic Cummings on Newsnight over his infamous Covid lockdown rules breach.

In a May 2020 edition of Newsnight, she told viewers that Cummings had “broken the rules” and “the country can see that, and it’s shocked the government cannot”.

Despite the broadcast having initially “passed off with a few pleasant texts from BBC editors”, Maitlis added that the “wheels fell off” the following morning.

The BBC apologised for Emily Maitlis’s comments about Dominic Cummings (image: Getty Images)The BBC apologised for Emily Maitlis’s comments about Dominic Cummings (image: Getty Images)
The BBC apologised for Emily Maitlis’s comments about Dominic Cummings (image: Getty Images)
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“A phone call of complaint was made from Downing Street to the BBC News management. This, for context, is not unusual,” she said.

“What was not foreseen was the speed with which the BBC sought to pacify the complainant.

“Within hours, a very public apology was made, the programme was accused of a failure of impartiality, the recording disappeared from iPlayer, and there were paparazzi outside my front door.

“Why had the BBC immediately and publicly sought to confirm the government spokesman’s opinion? Without any kind of due process? It makes no sense for an organisation that is admirably, famously rigorous about procedure – unless it was perhaps sending a message of reassurance directly to the government itself?”

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In response, a BBC spokesman said: "The BBC places the highest value on due impartiality and accuracy and we apply these principles to our reporting on all issues.

"As we have made clear previously in relation to Newsnight we did not take action as a result of any pressure from Number 10 or government and to suggest otherwise is wrong. The BBC found the programme breached its editorial standards and that decision still stands."

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