BBC reps call for 'no confidence' vote in Thompson

A meeting of BBC NUJ reps today unanimously agreed to call for a vote of no confidence in director-general Mark Thompson (top) – following the announcement of large scale job cuts across the Corporation.

The union claims the loss of 2,000 jobs at the BBC will cause "irreparable damage to the best journalism in the world, dramatically impact on the reputation of the service internationally and will led to a devastating reduction in public service broadcasting across the UK’s regions and nations".

The NUJ will now be asking its members in the BBC to signal their support of no confidence in Thompson.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “This shows the depth of anger felt by journalists across the BBC and their outrage at the lack of leadership from the top of the corporation.

"The BBC’s future is under attack as a result of the freeze on the licence fee settlement driven through by the Coalition government. The Director General should be fighting for the BBC, not inflicting cuts in areas that will cause irreparable damage to services and inevitably compromise quality journalism and programming.

"NUJ members are committed to defending jobs and quality journalism at the BBC and we are asking readers, listeners and viewers to join with us in this battle. And that is why we will be organising the no confidence ballot against Mark Thompson, the architect of this butchery.”