Nigel Farage hosted a press conference on 10 November 2025, launching Reform UK’s plans around small business.
Many of the questions were directed to him on the question of the BBC, the editing of a speech made by Donald Trump on 6 January 2021, the day of the Capitol riot.
Nigel Farage claimed that what the BBC did was election interference and that they have been institutionally biased for decades.
The comments come from the publication by the Telegraph Newspaper of leaked internal memos, the BBC Director General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Harness stepping down.
Echoing what Nigel Farage set out in his press conference on Monday, Jonathan Swales, Reform UK Branch Chair for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:
There is now a strong and reasoned case to reconsider the BBC’s funding model.
While elements of the corporation’s output remain of commendable quality, concerns about editorial imbalance have grown steadily in recent years. This has led many to question whether the BBC is meeting the impartiality obligations set out in its Royal Charter—obligations that are fundamental to maintaining public trust in a national broadcaster.
These concerns are not raised lightly. The BBC plays a significant role in British public life, and it is precisely because of that importance that its standards must be upheld. A fair and independent media landscape is vital to democratic debate, and where institutions fall short, it is right that their structure and funding be reviewed.
A national broadcaster with genuine public backing will succeed on its merits; if not, it must evolve to meet the expectations of those it serves.
Jonathan added:
A transition to a fully commercial framework would allow the BBC to demonstrate its value directly to the public, operating on the same footing as other media organisations and ensuring accountability through consumer choice.
