Earlier this week, as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the BBC, I welcomed BBC News apprentices to the Houses of Parliament as part of their induction programme into current affairs and news reporting.
Constituents and I value the strength, depth and breadth of BBC broadcasting on television and radio. It remains a world-leading provider of breaking and investigative news journalism.
These young journalists are the future of the BBC. Parliament and Parliamentarians must be open and accountable to our press. Programmes such as this are critical to maintaining that transparent and productive relationship.
We recognise the value of the BBC Journalists' investigation of lesser-known issues and overlooked concerns. Even in the brief question and answer session I could afford in between meetings with the Chancellor and debates in the chamber, the young journalists grilled me harder than Sir Alan Sugar about important campaigns including road safety, access to abortion services and the future of journalism.
If the choice is between the United States and the State, public broadcasting such as the BBC and Channel 4 is better in my view than having a free-for-all with big, biased media companies around the world who would in no way maintain the standards and quality we have had from the BBC over the last 100 years.
I also thank Robert Guthrie, a longstanding member of the public affairs team and leaving today, who has made sure that important events like this could continue to happen, even through the COVID-19 pandemic.
