Written question asked by Damien Egan (Labour) on Monday, 17 November 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 19 November 2025. It was answered by Chris Elmore (Labour) on Thursday, 20 November 2025 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

BBC Arabic Service: Antisemitism

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the BBC on journalists working for BBC Arabic who have made antisemitic and pro-Hamas comments.

Answer: It is crucial that the BBC upholds the highest standards of reporting and impartiality, so it remains the most trusted news source in the UK and overseas. The BBC has rightly acknowledged where coverage, standards and enforcement of those standards has fallen short. We welcome the actions taken by the BBC to strengthen editorial quality and standards for the BBC Arabic Service, as set out in the BBC Chair's letter to the Media, Culture and Sport Committee of 10 November, and we will continue to demand both rapid implementation and rigorous monitoring of those changes.

Secondary information