Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has described as “very concerning” the revelation by the JC that a BBC World News journalist has used an anonymous social media account to mount attacks on Emma Barnett, following a broadcast by the radio presenter on the impact of antisemitism on her family.
The BBC has confirmed it has begun an “urgent investigation” into the conduct of Nimesh Thaker, who has worked as a news reporter and producer at the BBC for over 20 years.
Mr Thaker also used the Twitter account, set up under the pseudonym Not That Bothered, to support posts by Kerry-Anne Mendoza and Jackie Walker, both of whom have been at the centre of antisemitism allegations.
In further posts from the same account, the BBC reporter also suggested Israel was a “racist” and a “white supremacist state” and attacked the BBC Director General as a “white male Tory”.
