• The BBC have reported that they may need to cancel regional Political Debate programs to cut costs
• Luke has written to the Head of BBC South West to ask that she reconsider
• Luke: “Local reporting that has to be considered an essential service of public broadcaster like the BBC.”

Luke Pollard MP said:

The BBC’s regional programs here in the South West play a vital part in our democracy. They allow people here in Devon and across the South West to see their representatives being held to account, and being kept informed about developments that will most directly impact our lives.

I’ve been concerned to hear reports that the BBC have put valuable programs like Inside out and Sunday Politics South West under review, with a possibility that they could be cancelled in a wave of cuts. I’ve written to the Head of BBC West and South West to ask them to consider this decision carefully.

The BBC has been subjected to unfair cuts over the last ten years of Conservative government, so I am sure this is a difficult decision to take.

These programs provide agenda-setting reporting that shine a light on issues that the national press often miss but are of a tremendous importance to people here in the South West. Local reporting that has to be considered an essential service of public broadcaster like the BBC.

I want to see the BBC be looking at how it invests more in regional broadcasting, in particular by bringing a greater digital content dimension to production. A show once a week can be reinforced by daily digital content complemented by BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall. I think the possibilities and opportunities could be endless, they just need to take hold of them.