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BBC bosses rejected my offers of antisemitism training for staff, says Lord Mann
The peer also claimed there was widespread 'ignorance' of antisemitism at the corporation
Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, has said he had visited BBC bosses to offer training on understanding antisemitism on three occasions – but the offers have been ignored.
The peer revealed he had meetings with senior figures including Director General Tim Davie, but the BBC continued with their own in-house procedures.
He told The Telegraph: “Tim Davie and others who I’ve met, they’ve had those offers. And I challenge and question why they have not accepted it. More fool them. They haven’t done. They should have done.”
Referring to the scandal over the documentary Gaza: How To Survive a Warzone, which included family members of senior Hamas officials Lord Mann said: “Heads should roll. And the heads that roll shouldn’t just be the little heads.
“You know that’s always the danger with organisations the size of the BBC. Oh hey, there’s something wrong, let’s get rid of a few of the people at the bottom. No, let’s get rid of some at the top, would be my view.”
He added:“If heads don’t roll there will be [an inquiry]. They won’t be allowed to sweep it under the rug, by me and others. I will not be ignoring this. I will not be sweeping it under the carpet.”
Lord Mann also claimed there was widespread “ignorance” of antisemitism at the corporation.
He said: “I think they have got an ignorance. They have got, I think, particularly, a generational problem of people who really don’t understand it. I think it’s got a generation who haven’t been challenged with that and haven’t been educated.”
Responding to Lord Mann’s allegations, a BBC spokesman said: “As an organisation, the BBC stands united against any form of abuse, prejudice, or intolerance. The welfare of our staff is paramount, and as such we have strengthened the range of training and support available to all of the organisation’s employees and communities in the past 18 months.
“We have well-established and robust processes in place to handle any issues, concerns or complaints raised with us.”
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