Featured Newslinks Newslinks November 2025

Newslinks for Tuesday 11th November 2025

November 11, 2025

Future of the BBC Licence fee becomes focus of Corporation’s bias row as accusations fly internally

“The BBC faces a battle over the TV licence fee within weeks as ministers launch a “fundamental” review of the corporation after claims of bias. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, is understood to be planning to launch her consultation on the BBC’s royal charter before Christmas, and will consider wholesale reform of the licence fee as part of a “comprehensive look at the way the BBC operates”. The once-a-decade charter renewal is expected to focus on providing a “sustainable” funding model and restoring public trust in BBC news content. Sources stressed that it was not connected to the bias scandal that has engulfed the corporation since The Telegraph revealed how footage was edited in a Panorama documentary to exaggerate Donald Trump’s role in the Capitol riots. The review follows a disastrous week for the BBC, culminating in the resignations of Tim Davie, the director general, and Deborah Turness, the news chief, on Sunday after more revelations about biased reporting.” – Daily Telegraph

‘Terrifying complacency’: Labour insiders on the scandal-hit BBC – The i
Sir Keir Starmer ducks demands to ditch the licence fee as he rallies behind the BBC and insists it is ‘stronger than ever’… while Trump threatens to hit the corporation with a $1billion lawsuit – Daily Mail
Tick Tock. Fuming Trump demands ‘full’ apology by Friday or he will sue the BBC for $1Billion over doctored Panorama footage – The Sun
BBC review found US election coverage was ‘markedly anti-Trump’ – The Times
BBC Chairman’s humiliating apology as civil war erupts inside Corporation… as it emerges senior bosses discussed doctored footage way back in January – Daily Mail
BBC Arabic chief faces calls to explain alleged bias towards Hamas – The Times
Will ‘deluded and loathed’ £300k-a-year BBC deputy who is ‘staunch defender of doctored Donald Trump footage’ be next Beeb boss to be swept away? – Daily Mail
BBC editor claims she was forced out over gender-critical views – Daily Telegraph
BBC board member with Tory links ‘led charge’ in systemic bias claims – Guardian
Survival of BBC licence fee under threat after Trump crisis – The i
The letter that shows the BBC has learnt nothing from its mistakes – Daily Telegraph
‘Make no mistake – this was a coup’ the extraordinary downfall of top bosses – Guardian

Editorial

BBC’s liberal elite still don’t get it – the Corporation has fallen victim to woke groupthink, not a right-wing coup – The Sun

Comment

Is Nick Robinson’s furious blame-shifting a confession of guilt? – Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph
Nick Robinson is deluded if he thinks this was a Right-wing coup. The BBC turned its back on the values of proper people years ago – Richard Littlejohn, The Sun
BBC crisis down to incompetence rather than bias – Dorothy Byrne, The Times
The BBC’s arrogance will be its downfall – Harry Phibbs, CapX
Davie’s time at top was littered with scandal – but it was failure to rid Beeb of liberal bias that sent him packing – Jack Elsom, The Sun
Why we will miss the BBC. The world it represents is passing – Mary Harrington, Unherd
The rot at the BBC runs far deeper than Tim Davie – Jonathan Sacerdoti, Spectator
The BBC must be reborn, smaller but better – Lord Frost, Daily Telegraph

Today

Yesterday

Rachel Reeves confirms she’ll break her promise, raise income tax and hints at scrapping two child benefit

“Rachel Reeves has suggested that she is prepared to break Labour’s manifesto by raising income tax but signalled that she would scrap the two-child benefit cap. The chancellor said that she would, “of course”, like to stick to the pledge not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT, but doing so would require cuts to spending that would damage productivity. Her comments are the clearest indication yet that she will break the manifesto pledge. The Times disclosed last week that she had included a rise in income tax in the “major measures” she submitted to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the official forecaster, before the budget on November 26. Reeves is expected to offset a 2p rise in income tax with a 2p cut in national insurance in an attempt to shift the burden of the tax rises on to other groups, such as pensioners and landlords. The move is expected to raise at least £6 billion as she seeks to fill a £30 billion hole in the public finances.” – The Times

Reeves gives strongest sign yet she WILL break Labour’s manifesto vows on tax at Budget – despite revolt by MPs and plans to splurge even more on benefits – Daily Mail
Rachel Reeves signals plan to remove two-child benefit cap in budget – Guardian
Reeves prepares to scrap two-child benefit cap and raise income tax – Daily Telegraph
Reeves risks a ‘Nick Clegg moment’ by breaking all her election manifesto tax promises – Daily Mail

Comment

Rachel Reeves Budget income tax raid exposed – and it’s even worse than we feared – Harvey Jones, Daily Express
The UK’s fiscal problems aren’t just about growth – Gita Gopinath, FT

Second migrant deported under ‘one in – one out’ scheme returns to the UK

“A second migrant removed to France under the “one in, one out” deal has returned to Britain, the Home Office has confirmed. The unnamed man arrived back in the UK after joining 348 other migrants who crossed the Channel in five small boats on Sunday. The Home Office said the migrant was detected by biometrics as one of the 94 migrants who had been removed from Britain under the UK-France treaty over the past two months. He was detained immediately and the department said he would be removed back to France “as quickly as possible”. The department has not disclosed the nationality, age or name of the migrant. The man is the second migrant to have returned to the UK after being removed to France, following the arrival of an Iranian migrant on October 18. He returned on a small boat less than a month after being one of the first to be removed to France under the deal.” – The Times

Second migrant deported to France under ‘one in, one out’ scheme returns to UK after crossing Channel on small boat – The Sun
Labour blocks efforts to end secret migrant deportation rulings – Daily Telegraph
Home Office could limit refugee stays in Britain under immigration crackdown – The i
Jailed for nine years, Romanian predator who raped doctor in city street – Daily Mail
Jail visa alert. Jail with 42 staff recruited from overseas would be left in crisis under new visa rules, warns prisons boss – The Sun

Comment

Why Starmer can’t copy Denmark on immigration – Rakib Ehsan, Unherd

Jenrick tees up Commons clash with Lammy with published questions, saying Deputy PM should ‘answer or step aside’

“David Lammy has been challenged to reveal key facts about the prison release gaffes – and warned he should resign if he fails to answer. The Deputy Prime Minister has been asked to provide a full picture of how many criminals have been wrongly freed, and how many are still on the run. It comes as Mr Lammy, who is also Justice Secretary, prepares to appear before MPs for the first time since his disastrous appearance at PMQs last week. He was roundly criticised for failing to admit on Wednesday that another foreign offender had been let out by mistake. Mr Lammy’s stance prompted mutterings – even within Labour ranks – about whether he was up to the job. Now Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has taken the unusual step of revealing in advance the questions he will ask during a Commons session tomorrow. In an open letter, tweeted by Mr Jenrick, he wrote: ‘I have written to you, submitted Parliamentary questions and asked you in the House of Commons. You have failed to give any answers. Tomorrow, in Parliament, I will once again ask basic questions that any competent Lord Chancellor would know the answers to. How many prisoners have been accidentally released since 1st April 2025? How many prisoners accidentally released are still at large? Who has been accidentally released and how many are violent or sexual offenders?’” – Daily Mail

Your Party mired in further chaos and acrimony over early donations to hard left start-up

“The feud between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana over the future of the leftwing Your Party has taken another twist with the two camps arguing publicly over hundreds of thousands of pounds in donations. Sultana offered to transfer £600,000 from a company the party’s founders set up earlier this year, only to be rebuffed by allies of Corbyn who accused her of playing “political games” with supporters’ money. The latest row comes after months of acrimony between the two former Labour MPs as they jostle to be the figurehead of what they hope will be a new force on the populist left. The tussle for power is likely to come to a head in the new year when the party holds a formal leadership contest.” – Guardian

Mordaunt in tears as she describes in court experience of being stalked

“Dame Penny Mordaunt on Monday sobbed in court as she alleged that an infatuated stalker bombarded her with emails and calls and even jumped the security barrier at her office. The former defence secretary, 52, told a jury that Edward Brandt, 60, left her ‘feeling very vulnerable’ and tried to form a ‘personal relationship’ with her during an alleged campaign of stalking. Brandt – a Conservative Party member – went on trial at Southampton Crown Court, accused of stalking the former Tory MP. e is accused of ignoring a police warning and continuing to stalk Ms Mordaunt, claiming he wanted to have a ‘much-famed pint’ with her. Prosecutors said the defendant also claimed he wanted to shake her ‘precious and gold-plated hand’ to praise her for her work.Brandt jumped the barrier at her office and Mordaunt had to bolster her security, it was also heard. Giving evidence, Mordaunt was reduced to tears as she explained how ‘drained’ she felt by the whole situation.” – Daily Mail