Above politics?
From Mr John Young
Sir: A great many people will endorse your concern (Profile of Gavyn Davies, 29 September) that the three most sensitive posts in the BBC, including those of chairman and director-general, should have gone to paid-up supporters of a particular political party. It seems curious that candidates for such posts — particularly in an organisation such as the BBC which is supposedly, above all else, impartial — should have any public political commitments. Several years ago the then editor of the Times, which is and was under no such public-service constraints, informed his staff that he would prefer none of us to belong to any party or pressure group.
John Young
London W14
From Mr Simon Milner Sir: The historical record is clear about the political backgrounds of previous BBC chairmen, vice-chairmen and director-generals. For a brief period in the early 1980s, three men with well-known Conservative backgrounds served together: George Howard (chairman), William Rees-Mogg (vice-chairman) and Ian Trethowan (director-general).
These men, like others before and after them, left their political beliefs outside the door of Broadcasting House.
Simon Milner BBC, London W1
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