The BBC has censured its own staff for calling Hamas a “terror group”, leading a former director of BBC television to say the corporation “can no longer be allowed to mark its own homework”. The Telegraph has the story.

The corporation’s executive complaints unit (ECU) ruled it was wrong for one of its presenters to call the Islamists a “terror group” in a broadcast on June 15th.

It said that its rolling news channel had strayed from editorial guidelines by using the phrase.

The ECU said the BBC does not brand organisations as “terror” or “terrorist” groups for reasons of “due accuracy and impartiality” and instead reports that they are designated as such by third parties.

The incident was “reported to the management of BBC News and discussed with the editorial team responsible”, the body added.

The ruling comes after a lengthy debate over how the BBC characterises Hamas.

Following the October 7th 2023 attacks on Israel, Rishi Sunak, the prime minister at the time, called on the broadcaster to brand Hamas a terror group, which it had refused to do in line with its guidelines.

“This is not a time for equivocation, we should call it out for what it is,” Mr Sunak said. …

In response to the recent complaints ruling, Danny Cohen, the former director of BBC Television, said: “Licence-fee payers will be appalled that their money is being wasted trying to protect the reputation of murdering extremists.

“The BBC has stubbornly refused to recognise that Hamas is a terrorist organisation since the horrific atrocities of October 7th, and now its editorial complaints unit is clamping down on presenters who make that simple statement of fact.

“The ECU is clearly unfit for purpose. The BBC can no longer be allowed to mark its own homework.”

Worth reading in full.