The Apprentice presenter Lord Sugar’s government role poses ‘greater than normal risk’ to BBC impartiality, trust rules

Next year’s series of The Apprentice may have to be rescheduled if a general election is called, after the BBC Trust ruled that presenter Lord Sugar’s new role as government “enterprise champion” posed a “greater than normal risk to the impartiality, integrity and independence of the BBC”.

Following a complaint from the shadow culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, that Sugar’s government role as a Labour peer conflicted with his BBC work, the trust’s editorial standards committee today ruled that there had been no breach of the corporation’s editorial guidelines.

The BBC Trust said, however, that the corporation must be sensitive about the scheduling of The Apprentice and the forthcoming Junior Apprentice in the run-up to the next general election, which must be called before 3 June 2010. This year, The Apprentice ran between late March and early June.

The committee also criticised “failings” by BBC management over an appearance by Sugar with the children’s secretary, Ed Balls, at an event in Gateshead to promote apprenticeships. This should have been regarded as “political activity”, it said, and formally referred to the executive for consent.

In its ruling, the BBC Trust committee said the “combination of Sir Alan’s roles as star of a BBC entertainment show, government adviser and peer and the proximity of the next general election poses a greater than normal risk to the impartiality, integrity and independence of the BBC in relation to the broadcasting of The Apprentice and Junior Apprentice next year”.

The editorial standards committee added that following the announcement of Sugar’s government role on 5 June, there had been a period when “public confidence in the BBC may well have been undermined”.

But the committee said this had been resolved when BBC management announced safeguards, including Sugar not being able to campaign or lobby on behalf of the government and ensuring that his image was not used for campaigning material.

The ruling also said the BBC faced a “particular risk” with Sugar, because “in the public’s eye Sir Alan [sic] is now both an iconic figure, a key part of the BBC brand as star of The Apprentice, but he is also a political figure with two political roles as government adviser and Labour peer”.

“The risk that the BBC’s impartiality, integrity and independence will be compromised and/or public confidence in the BBC will be undermined is therefore greater in respect of Sir Alan Sugar than for other comparable BBC on-air talent,” the committee added.

Sir Michael Lyons, the BBC Trust chairman, said that audiences “must be confident that the outside activities of programme-makers or presenters do not undermine BBC impartiality”.

“In this context, questions have been raised about the dual role played by Lord Sugar – as star of the BBC’s The Apprentice while also a Labour peer advising the government as enterprise champion,” Lyons added.

“The trust’s editorial standards committee has judged that there has been no breach of the BBC editorial guidelines. However, in one aspect of this case – the appearance by Lord Sugar with the children’s secretary Ed Balls at an event to promote apprenticeships – the committee has criticised some failings by the executive. We look to the executive to learn the appropriate lessons for the future.

“The committee also notes that there is now less than a year before the next general election and that this increases the sensitivity caused by Lord Sugar’s dual role. Scheduling decisions are a matter for the executive. But the trust is clear that when scheduling next year’s transmission of The Apprentice and The Junior Apprentice the executive must give due consideration to the implications of showing the programmes in the months immediately before a general election.”

Hunt said he was still not happy with Sugar’s continuing association with The Apprentice following the BBC Trust ruling.

He appealed to the trust after saying he was not happy with the response of director general Mark Thompson to the issue.

“The BBC Trust has admitted what we have known all along, that Alan Sugar’s government appointment risks the impartiality, integrity and independence of the BBC,” Hunt said.

“Whatever restrictions the BBC seeks to put on his political activities, Lord Sugar is taking the Labour whip and has an official government role. It’s amazing that the trust has, therefore, not explained why licence-fee payers should fund a programme hosted by someone who will help formulate, promote, and endorse government policies. The trust has disappointingly missed an opportunity to show it has teeth when it comes to enforcing impartiality obligations.”

A spokesman for BBC management said it would “of course bear the trust’s view in mind” about not airing The Apprentice during an election period.

“The BBC has always exercised particular sensitivity in relation to party political fairness in the period leading up to an election,” he added.

“When elections are called or are clearly imminent, we review all of our schedules to ensure that our output is suitable for transmission during that period.

“The trust has emphasised that all scheduling decisions are a matter for the BBC executive. However, the executive has noted the trust’s clear view on the particular sensitivity of broadcasting The Apprentice during an election period. If the next general election falls in the first part of 2010, the executive will of course bear the trust’s view in mind when it considers when to transmit the next series of The Apprentice.”

Sugar this week took his seat in the House of Lords as Baron Sugar of Clapton in the London borough of Hackney.

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