London-based former BBC Bengali-British journalist Sabir Mustafa weighed in after the resignation of a BBC executive amid controversy. In a commentary on a public platform, he wrote:

The BBC: Knives are out

Sabir Mustafa

London:  Nov. 10, 2025.

Journalists are often accused of exaggeration and use of hyperboles to make their stories sound more urgent and exciting than they really are. But it is no exaggeration to say that the BBC is facing an existential threat today. That was not the case in 2004 when Director General Greg Dyke and board chairman Gavyn Davies were compelled to resign under intense government pressure amid hugely controversial circumstances.

The resignation of current DG Tim Davie and CEO of the News division Deborah Turness did not come about simply because US President Donald Trump called it "fake news." He had done it before, during his first term. This time though, Trump had a piece of evidence to back him - a shoddy piece of editing by the Panorama producers. But this was merely the straw that broke the camel's back.

The BBC has been under sustained pressure from various quarters, particularly the ultra-conservatives in parliament and the media, for years. Ironically, Davie was probably more receptive to their views than his predecessors. But it is possible that the pressure became too intense and without effective backing from the Starmer government and a clueless Board, Davie sacrificed himself in order to take the pressure off the Corporation.

Unfortunately, Davie’s inability - or unwillingness - to fight back has opened the floodgates for BBC-bashers. It's now open season and the knives are truly out.

Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party which may well come out on top in the next general elections, has declared that the BBC will be "defunded" and "slimmed down." Senior Conservatives such as former prime minister Liz Truss and former home secretary Suella Braverman have already called for an end to the license fee - which will effectively destroy the BBC as we know it. Their argument is couched in free market logic, and they allege that the public are being compelled, by law, to fork out money for a media behemoth, while other broadcasters in the private sector are eking out a living in a competitive world. The fact that public funding, coupled with editorial independence, has produced the finest, most trusted broadcaster in the world, bringing huge respect for Britain in far-flung corners of the planet, is simply lost on them.

Conservative party leader Kim Badenoch has stopped short of defunding, but called for a "full overhaul" of the BBC's coverage of the US and the Middle East. Ominously, she added, "BBC's Arabic service must be brought under control." Such a policy would severely constrain the BBC's editorial independence and turn it into something more akin to a state broadcaster. While there are significant voices extolling the virtues of having a well-funded, independent public service broadcaster, the momentum right now appears to be with those who wish to see the BBC cut down to size.