- Chair of BAE Systems, Roger Carr, appointed to leading role with BBC Trust
- Campaigners deliver 6350 strong petition demanding Carr’s removal from BBC
This morning, activists from Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) delivered a 6350 strong petition to the BBC calling for the removal of Roger Carr, the Chair of BAE Systems, from his new position as Vice-Chair of the BBC Trust.
BAE Systems is the biggest arms company in Europe with revenues of £16.7 billion in 2014. Around 94% of its sales are military. The role, which is paid over £70,000 per year, will see Carr serving until 2019 on a part time basis and sitting in one of the most influential positions in the BBC.
BAE’s recent buyers include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, UAE and Bahrain. The Saudi army has recently confirmed that BAE aircraft are being used in the bombing of Yemen.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against arms Trade said:
BAE Systems is Europe’s biggest arms company and has made its money through arming dictatorships and human rights abusers around the world. Carr is the public face of the company and is the last person who should be given the legitimacy of a role at the heart of public broadcasting.
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the BBC
, with a responsibility to ensure the BBC always manages to inform, educate and entertain.
It is described as the guardian of license fee revenue.
It also sets the direction of BBC editorial and creative output
, appoints the Director-General and serves as the final arbiter on complaints.
Andrew continued:
The government spends around £4bn a year on BAE’s arms and services. It is vital to have a national media that can hold them to account. Not only does this send out a terrible, message, it also raises serious concerns about how the appointment could impact on the BBC’s coverage of the arms trade.
Last year the BBC Political Editor, Nick Robinson, was scheduled to speak at the ADS Annual Dinner. ADS is the trade body for arms companies. Robinson pulled out following a campaign by CAAT.
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
