The FT continues to stir the pot at Number 10 today with another article focused on Lord Birt.

Birt holds the key to Blair’s kitchen cabinet

The article alludes to Birt’s wider influence inside Number 10. The suggestion is that an unelected ‘freelance’ advisor is weilding disproportionate power inside Blair’s inner circle. But the article goes on to list a number of initiatives that failed to get off the drawing board - so he’s hardly reshaping the policy landscape.

However, its still exciting for observers, since we haven’t seen some good old fashioned media/political mudslinging since the Kelly affair. Naturally these things quickly turn nasty and today’s article sources a couple of stinging quotes for emphasis…

“‘John Birt has problems dealing with people. He’s very shy and he’s the worst public speaker,’ said one former BBC colleague.

Some of his former television colleagues say his plans for the BBC are driven by revenge. One said: ‘He is a hated man. That sort of thing eats into your soul.’”

Birt is seen to have pushed back to the surface ideas proposed by his close friend Lord Terry Burns in regard to the BBC’s Charter Renewal. The Burn’s report - commissioned by the DCMS - was buried in the ‘long grass’ on release. Birt wasn’t pleased, particularly since he is seen to have had a guiding influence over the direction of the report - which recommended the establishment of a Public Service Broadcasting Commission with responsibility for public interest oversight of public money invested in broadcasting and for recommending to Government the level of the licence fee. It would also take on the current accountability role of the Governors combined with some of the responsibilities of the Government and would ensure that the Charter objectives for PSB were met.

There is said to be significant support inside Number 10 for this approach. But the DCMS has it mind set on another agenda. The department hired Michael Grade to head up the Governors after Gavyn Davis quit over the Kelly affair, buying into Grade’s plan for modernisation. Grade seems to be putting our money where his mouth is and implementing a programme of significant change. But Birt has other ideas - a seemingly common theme in the two men’s long-term professional relationship.

Birt has a significant number of allies on this issue. Sir Howard Davies - speaking on home turf at the LSE last week - a member of the Burns’ panel also suggested disappointment that the work had been sidelined. But there are other supporters across industry, in Parliament, in the media and closer to the real decision makers in Government. I doubt the issue will now quietly disappear - and just when the BBC (who have run an excellent Charter Renewal campaign) thought it was in the bag.

There has been some good commentary on the political dynamic emerging here. Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State at DCMS and a staunch Blair ally - provided support for the Prime Minister at a time when it seemed he was running very short of friends in his Cabinet. Blair is likely to look to repay this loyalty and will give the DCMS a fair hearing on Charter Renewal. In addition, with the DCMS taking a battering on new legislation in regard to gambling and licensing - being undermined on Charter Renewal may be a humiliation too far. Then again - we’re so close to an election the Cabinet table may be ripe for a shake-up. I suspect Tessa could be won over on a promise of something nice in the near future!

Comment: My own opinion is that the Burns’ options need to be pushed into the Green Paper so Parliament can assess them. Grade seems to moving things in the right direction at the BBC, but its all still very cosy. Broadcasting is a friends of friends type of world - and friends at the BBC have an annual income of �3.5 billion.

Update - I mistakenly referred to Michael Grade as ‘Lord Grade’ earlier. It’s difficult to keep with who’s a Lord and who’s not in the current climate. Anyway Lew Grade (Michael’s dad) was a Lord - as yet Michael is not! Apologies for the mistake - many thanks for those who e-mailed to correct me. School-boy error.