First Minister Alex Salmond backs the reappointment of Greg Dykes for BBC director general
First Minister Alex Salmond has announced that he would like to see former BBC director general Greg Dyke reappointed in the wake of George Entwistle’s controversial resignation.
Salmond believes that Dyke would be able to “restore public confidence” in the BBC following its recent troubles.
Salmond commented: “The crisis engulfing the BBC underlines serious and institutional failures of leadership that must immediately be addressed.
"The BBC ship needs to be steadied by someone who the public can have confidence in to return the corporation to its journalistic traditions.
"The obvious figure who fits the bill is Greg Dyke."
Dyke stepped down from the role in 2004, after Lord Hutton’s report on David Kelly and BBC journalism in the lead-up to the Iraq war.
Salmond added: “"To a great extent, journalism at the BBC has suffered since the day Greg Dyke resigned following the Hutton Inquiry.
"It is clear now from everything that has been revealed post the Iraq war that Greg Dyke was right to defend the BBC journalists at that time.
"The crisis currently engulfing the BBC must not be allowed to obscure the underlying issues relating to extremely serious allegations of abuse and the exploitation of children which, although they may date back a number of years, must still be investigated.
"Greg Dyke is someone the public would also have confidence and trust in when it comes to taking forward the corporation's own inquiries into that issue."
"Reappointing Mr Dyke would restore confidence in BBC journalism.”
Tim Davie, BBC director of audio and music, has temporarily taken on the role of director general, Ofcom boss Ed Richards is currently the bookies’ favourite for the permanent role.