Overview

• Director-general Tim Davie said BBC journalists cannot wear Black Lives Matter T-shirts in newsrooms because the movement is politicised.
• He cited visible endorsements such as carrying a Kamala Harris mug during an election as unacceptable inside the newsroom.
• Davie affirmed the BBC stands firmly against racism and described impartiality as his number one priority requiring elements of diversity, including socioeconomic diversity.
• He acknowledged the restrictions have been hard to implement and said some new staff struggle to accept the policy.
• He delivered the remarks at the Sunday Times Culture Interview Forum at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and described public-facing roles as demanding after confrontational incidents.