Nandy and Hotovely discuss BBC Glastonbury crisis at ‘constructive and thoughtful’ meeting

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy held a “constructive and thoughtful meeting” with Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely at which the pair discussed serious concerns about the BBC and its broadcast of the Bobby Vylan concert at Glastonbury.   

While there was no official comment from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the agenda Wednesday’s meeting, Jewish News understands that Nandy reiterated her own concern over the BBC’s conduct in continuing to stream “Death To The IDF” chants during its extensive coverage of the festival.

The Culture Secretary is also understood to have told Hotovely she was personally troubled by accounts from members of the community of their experiences of Glastobury last month.

She is also believed to have repeated comments made in the Commons where she said she had not been satisfied by the response of BBC chiefs to her questions on why the latest fiasco was allowed to happen.

Nandy told MPs last week: “When you have one editorial failure, it’s something that must be gripped. When you have several, it becomes a problem of leadership.”

Jewish News understands that reports that Nandy branded the BBC as “institutionally antisemitic” at the meeting with the Israeli ambassador are false.

Following the meeting Hotovely posted on X: “Thank you, Secretary of State Lisa Nandy for a constructive and thoughtful meeting at DCMS.

“I appreciate your recognition and understanding of our serious concerns about the failings of the BBC and Glastonbury in staging and broadcasting blatant anti-Jewish hatred.

“A clear line was crossed from free speech into the incitement of hatred, violence and murder. I am grateful that we stand united against all forms of antisemitism, including when it’s amplified on public platforms.”

A DCMS spokesperson said they would not be commenting further on the meeting.