BBC director-general confirms staff can attend LGBTQ parades under new impartiality guidelines

The BBC’s director-general Tim Davie has confirmed BBC staff can attend Pride parades under the corporation’s new impartiality guidelines.

Guidelines published on Thursday said BBC News employees should not attend marches about “controversial issues”.

According to a BBC News report, some members of staff were told that meant they may not be able to join Pride events, which support LGBTQ+ rights.

However, the BBC’s Mr Davie has said journalists could attend if they were not “taking a stand on politicised or contested issues”.

Mr Davie told staff on Friday: “There is no ban on attending Pride parades.

“The guidance that we published yesterday made it very clear that staff outside of news and current affairs and factual journalism may attend marches, demonstrations and protests as private individuals…

“There are different considerations for staff who work in news and current affairs and factual journalism (and senior leaders) but I want to be clear that there is no issue for these staff attending community events that are clearly celebratory or commemorative and do not compromise perceptions of their impartiality.

“If news and current affairs staff are participating in such events they must be mindful of ensuring that they do not get involved in matters which could be deemed political or controversial. There is no ban on these staff attending Pride events.

“Attending Pride parades is possible within the guidelines, but due care needs to be given to the guidance and staff need to ensure that they are not seen to be taking a stand on politicised or contested issues.”

Mr Davie described commentary in the press and online on Thursday saying staff would be banned from Pride was “inaccurate”.