The British government has publicly backed the BBC following a multi-billion-dollar defamation lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump against the British public broadcaster.
Speaking on Tuesday, UK Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said the BBC is “right to stick by their guns,” emphasizing that the broadcaster has no legal case to answer regarding Trump’s allegations.
Government Support for the Public Broadcaster
Kinnock acknowledged that the BBC had apologized for limited editorial errors related to a Panorama program but stressed that this does not amount to libel or defamation.
“They have been very clear that there is no case to answer in terms of Mr. Trump’s accusations on the broader point about libel or defamation,” Kinnock told Sky News.
He further underlined the importance of the BBC as an institution:
“I hope they will continue to do so as an independent organization, funded by the license fee — a hugely important institution.”
Details of the Lawsuit
Trump filed the lawsuit on Monday in Miami, alleging that the BBC “maliciously edited” his January 6, 2021 speech, splicing together two remarks made more than 54 minutes apart to suggest he encouraged violence as the U.S. Capitol riot unfolded.
While the BBC issued an apology last month, it maintained that Trump’s claims do not constitute a valid legal basis for a defamation case.
Internal Fallout at the BBC
Concerns over the editing of the speech were highlighted in a leaked internal BBC memo, leading to the resignation of Director-General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness over how the matter was handled.
Political Pressure on Prime Minister Starmer
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now facing domestic pressure to address the issue directly with Trump.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, urged the prime minister to “stand up for the BBC against Trump’s outrageous legal threat” and protect UK license fee payers from potential financial consequences.
Davey also warned that the Trump administration seeks to undermine democratic institutions, including the UK’s national broadcaster.
BBC Response
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that the broadcaster will contest the lawsuit:
“As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
The BBC is funded through a mandatory annual license fee required for television viewing and online BBC content in the United Kingdom.
