Message to politicians-Leave the Beeb alone

Good article by Anne McElvoy in this week's New Statesmen in which she a.gues that Opportunistic politicians should remember the BBC is a public-service, not a state, broadcaster.

It was the intervention of Ben Bradshaw's tweets aimed at the Today programme's Evan Davis that have really incurred the wrath of Ms McElvoy and she says that

Beneath the politicians' presumptions lies a belief that the BBC is an extension of government - present or future. It isn't: we have a public-service, not a state, broadcaster, and it is vital to preserve the difference.

adding that

They're all trying to muscle in on the fight. David Cameron wants to decide the DG's salary. Harriet Harman wants more older women on TV and will doubtless wag her Equality Bill at any future contraventions. If (for one never knows how far Harmanism goes) her next good cause is another target group, are we to expect an instant rejigging of the on-screen staff to oblige her then, too?