State broadcaster acts as state broadcaster - nobody treated for shock

BBC accused of breaching impartiality guidelines over civil service secondments in newsroom

The BBC has been accused of breaching impartiality guidelines after it was revealed civil servants were tasked with writing articles and fact-checking controversial issues for the newsroom.

Fast-stream graduates and Civil Service managers were placed inside the corporation, where they worked on "high-impact, sensitive topics" including Channel crossings by small boats and the Covid pandemic.

Their output appeared on the BBC website under bylines identifying them as part of "BBC News" and "BBC Verify", with no indication of their government employment.