LIVE: Should we defund or defend the BBC? | Michael Gove & Jon Sopel v Charles Moore & Allison Pearson
Best of the Spectator
The Spectator
4.3 • 826 Ratings
🗓️ 4 April 2026
⏱️ 61 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Should we defund – or defend – the BBC?
Live from London, the Spectator hosted a debate on the future of this iconic British institution, compered by associate editor Isabel Hardman. The Spectator’s chairman – and long-time Beeb-critic – Charles Moore, and the Telegraph’s Allison Pearson went head-to-head with the Spectator’s editor – and former Tory cabinet minister – Michael Gove and the former BBC correspondent – now-podcaster with The Newsagents – Jon Sopel.
Defund: do you agree with Lord Moore that the BBC is constantly breaking impartiality? That this issue ‘more profound than just about balance’ – that this is a systemic issue which hampers the British public’s opportunity to learn. And for Allison Pearson, the BBC that the country feels 'sentimental attachment to’ is gone, replaced today by a corporation that is ‘institutionally antisemitic’.
Defend: Jon Sopel argues that the soft power of the BBC cannot be underestimated and, while guilty of many mistakes, destroying the BBC would be ‘an act of cultural vandalism akin to ISIS blowing up Palmyra’. Lord Gove argues that the BBC reflects the best of us, declaring that he backs the organisation 'not in spite of being a conservative – but because I am a conservative’.
Subscribers can watch the full discussion on Spectator TV and for more events from the Spectator, go to events.spectator.co.uk.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | The British right is up for grabs. As May's local elections approach, the Conservatives face strong competition from Reform UK. |
| 0:07.9 | Join the Spectator's assistant editor, Isabel Hardman, for the spectator debate, the fight for the right, on Wednesday, the 29th of April in London. |
| 0:15.5 | We will pit the Conservatives represented by Matthew Saeed and Dominic Johnson against Reform UK, represented by Matt Goodwin and Danny Kruger. |
| 0:23.6 | To see which party truly represents the future of the right, |
| 0:27.2 | book your tickets at spectator.com forward slash fight. Welcome to the latest in the Spectator's debate series. |
| 0:50.3 | Tonight we debate the future of a key British institution, the BBC. |
| 0:54.8 | Please welcome to the stage, our host for this evening, the spectator's assistant editor, Isabel Hardman. |
| 1:04.1 | Thank you so much for coming and welcome to the Emanuel Centre for tonight's debate, |
| 1:10.5 | one of a series in which we test arguments |
| 1:13.5 | from brilliant speakers on big issues. In a very timely event, given the imminent confirmation of a new |
| 1:20.0 | Director General, our scrutiny falls on the BBC, a unique, publicly funded institution, which has been a |
| 1:27.2 | British household favourite for nearly a century. |
| 1:30.7 | For decades, the Beebe was the envy of the world, a highly trusted source of entertainment, drama, sport, and most importantly, news. |
| 1:38.8 | But increasingly with scandals over bias, wastefulness and abuse, the BBC seems to be making as many headlines |
| 1:47.3 | as it reports. In the age of subscription services, is our love for auntie, and particularly |
| 1:53.7 | its compulsory licence fee, stretched beyond repair. Many say it's time to defund the BBC, while others passionately defend the corporation |
| 2:04.1 | and its funding model. And tonight, we'll hear both arguments. Here to propose the motion, |
| 2:11.4 | this House believes it is time to defund the BBC. please welcome to the stage, |
| 2:18.0 | the chairman of the spectator, |
| 2:20.1 | biographer of Margaret Thatcher, |
| 2:21.9 | and fierce campaigner against the license fee, Lord Moore. |
| 2:30.3 | Thank you. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Spectator, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of The Spectator and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.