Dame Emily Thornberry has said the BBC World Service “must be preserved – if we lose it, we won’t be able to get it back”, ahead of the funding settlement for the broadcaster.
The Labour MP and chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee made the comments following plans to cut the service by 130 jobs to save around £6 million for the next financial year.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously said in the Budget that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) settlement for the next financial year will give “an increase in funding to the BBC World Service”.
The BBC World Service, owned and operated by the corporation, is predominantly funded by the UK licence fee and has received a grant of £104.4 million from the FCDO in previous years.
The chairwomen of the Culture, Media and Sport and International Development committees, and Dame Emily, said in a letter that though a £32.6 million uplift was provided to the World Service for 2025-26, they are “concerned that, even if this level of increase was repeated in the forthcoming Spending Review, it could nonetheless lead to a decline in the World Service”.
In a statement, Dame Emily said: “At a time when malicious disinformation is rife, the BBC World Service is a precious commodity and a unique asset to the UK. It needs consistent funding in order to thrive and meet the challenges ahead.
“Other major players, such as Russia and China, pour huge resources into their global media output.
“This can amount to propaganda: some countries are aggressively attempting to dominate the global media landscape in order to further their own interests. Malign actors, both state and non-state, are waging war against the truth.
“The BBC is the UK’s most recognisable brand and is associated with great trust, delivering impartial, high-quality journalism. This has taken generations to build up.
“The World Service makes an indispensable contribution to the UK’s soft power and global standing. It must be preserved – if we lose it, we won’t be able to get it back.”
Alongside @CommonsForeign and @CommonsIDC, we are urging the Government to ensure the World Service has sustainable funding, so it can keep providing trusted and impartial news globally, countering misinformation and disinformation, and serving audiences without a free press.
— Culture, Media and Sport Committee (@CommonsCMS) January 31, 2025
The letter, also signed by Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage, and chairwoman of the International Development Committee, Sarah Champion, highlighted the work of the BBC World Service including its soft power value, as a counter to disinformation and its humanitarian impact.
They also raised issues such as BBC Radio Arabic in Lebanon, and the upcoming axing of in-depth interview show HARDtalk.
“We are concerned that whilst plans to cut HARDtalk are clear, plans for a replacement service are less so,” the letter said.
“Furthermore, a future agreement that increases the proportion of funds from the Government should include clear safeguards which protect the BBC World Service from being perceived as a voice of Government or engaging in self-censorship to appear to meet the position of the UK Government.”
The letter was addressed to the FCDO, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with BBC director-general Tim Davie among those copied in.
Ms Champion said: “All around the world, from Sudan to Gaza, the World Service has been essential in helping to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid.
“It offers robust and accurate information on how to access food, water, shelter and medicines in real time, information that in a conflict zone can sometimes be the difference between life and death.
“Eroding its services has already had dire consequences, and any further cuts will undermine not only efforts to deliver aid, but also the UK’s international standing.
“Where services have been cut, we have seen other countries rush in to fill the space. Only with sustainable funding can we ensure that the World Service is there for those who need it, whenever crisis strikes.”
When the BBC announced the cost-saving measures this week, it said it will continue to provide journalistic coverage across its 42 language services.
The broadcaster will also “continue to counter disinformation, provide emergency services in times of crisis and report from all corners of the globe”.
The FCDO has been contacted for comment.
