BBC and Plaid Cymru relationship needs review, Reform UK says | UK News

Reform UK has called for a “review into the relationship” between the and Plaid Cymru.

Cai Parry-Jones, a Reform spokesman, highlighted Plaid’s leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, and director of political strategy, Aled ap Dafydd, both who previously worked for the .

His comments came after Nigel Farage accused the broadcaster of left-wing bias because its interim director of nations, Rhuanedd Richards, is a former chief executive of Plaid.

Responding to Parry-Jones’ comments, a Wales spokesperson said: “Our news teams in Wales and across the are completely committed to providing our audiences with fair and impartial coverage of all relevant political parties.”

Plaid Cymru did not wish to comment on the remarks.

Speaking to Newyddion S4C, Parry-Jones said ap Iorwerth had been “chief political correspondent for Wales for five years”, while ap Dafydd had “been in a prominent role with the and S4C’s Newyddion”.

“I’m not saying this proves there is a institutional bias within Wales for Plaid Cymru and against Reform UK, but… we need a review into this,” he said.

The remarks come after the resignations of director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness over an edit of a speech by President Donald Trump on the Panorama programme.

In a video message posted on X, Farage said: “Rhuanedd Richards was the chief executive of Plaid.

“She worked during the Labour-Plaid coalition for the government of Wales.

“She’s now a director of Wales, on just over £190,000 a year.

“There is living proof that, right the way through to the top, the is infected with left-wing bias.”

A spokesperson said: “Rhuanedd Richards has worked for the since 2018 and has been director of Wales since 2021. She is currently interim director for the nations.

“Rhuanedd has always been open about her career history and is wholly committed to upholding the impartiality of the .”

Richards started her career as a journalist with Wales and was Plaid’s chief executive between 2011 and 2016.

She returned to the in 2018, becoming director – or head of – Wales in 2021.

She took up her current interim role in June this year.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday afternoon, Welsh Conservative culture spokesperson Gareth Davies said that ahead of May’s Senedd election it was “imperative that our public service broadcaster in Wales is politically impartial and balanced, and that we can all have confidence that Wales gives balanced coverage to all political parties”.

He added that it was “right” that Tim Davie and Deborah Turness had announced their resignations.

“The report by Michael Prescott uncovered a problem of institutional left wing bias in the and he felt forced to leak the dossier since it was ignored by the ‘s board.

“So, it’s essential that trust and accountability are restored in the , and if similar problems exist at Wales, that they are identified,” Davies said.

In response, the Welsh government’s business manager – the Trefnydd – Jane Hutt said the trust and accountability of the “is absolutely crucial”.

“We enjoy a very robust and strong relationship with our broadcasters here in Wales, and of course that is something that is very much important to us in terms of our democracy and our engagement as a Senedd,” she said.

A spokesperson for Wales said: “Our news teams in Wales and across the are completely committed to providing our audiences with fair and impartial coverage of all relevant political parties.”

Earlier, responding to Nigel Farage’s accusations that the was infected with a left-wing bias, Rhodri Williams, former director of Ofcom in Wales, told Radio Cymru’s Dros Frecwast the claims were “completely absurd and unfair”.

Speaking on Radio Wales Breakfast, Prof Richard Tait, from Cardiff University as well as a former governor on the board, said “if you work for the , people are going to look at where you previously worked”.

“I think sometimes it’s quite oppressive, but the reality is that if you work for you do have to be able to look the audience in the eye and say ‘I’m neutral in these areas’.

“It’s not so much what you have done privately or what you think privately that matters, it’s what you do professionally.”

Mr Tait, who was also editor of Newsnight and Channel 4 News and former chair of the ‘s editorial standards committee, said: “The is currently under so much fire that they can’t really get on the front foot.

“What they have to do is persuade the audience, who in the main is still sympathetic to them, that they genuinely take impartiality as seriously as I know they do.”