Final submissions in sacked BBC presenter tribunal

Both sides have delivered their final statements at a tribunal between the BBC and a sacked presenter.

Jack Murley, from Bodmin, worked with BBC Radio Cornwall from 2019 until 2024.

A tribunal in Exeter has heard how he was dismissed by the corporation for posts on social media that the corporation said "breached applicable policies".

The former presenter claims he was discriminated against for being gay and being a union representative.

From 2022 Mr Murley, who was an NUJ representative, expressed his views on the BBC's Local Value For All project on social media, which involved changes to BBC local radio.

The BBC said this breached the organisation's guidelines as they failed to provide “due impartiality”.

Mr Murley said these posts were acceptable given his role with the union.

Representing the BBC, Jesse Crozier, said this was "simply incorrect".

"There was nothing inherent in his opposition to the local value for all changes that suggests this is union activity... it ought to be clear and obvious," he said.

Mr Crozier added that "the BBC places considerable emphasis on audience and impartiality" on social media.

He said: "Mr Murley’s tweets throw that impartiality to the wind."

He also referenced Mr Murley’s Loosest Goose radio feature, which was a satirical segment that used innuendo.

"All of the witnesses were absolutely clear that the Loosest Goose had no place on BBC Radio Cornwall at midday on a Sunday," Mr Crozier said.

He continued that it was "clear there was an escalation" in Mr Murley's behaviour when he began talking about BBC management and the organisation's changes on the radio show.

He highlighted a heated conversation between Mr Murley and his manager on 29 June 2023, where the presenter refused to remove any posts and is said to have been "angry" on the phone.

Mr Crozier called this phone call "a watershed moment in this case".

"He could not be trusted to broadcast the next day," he said.

"By the time you find yourself in that position the employment relationship is in breakdown."

Mr Crozier dismissed Mr Murley's claims about the BBC as a "conspiracy".

In response Nick Toms, representing Mr Murley, said: "I’m not a big fan of conspiracy theories."

He said his client used social media to voice his views on BBC changes, which put some people in local radio at risk of redundancy.

"He was doing it to help others who were threatened with redundancy," he said.

He accused the BBC managers of "colluding and discussing" raising a gross misconduct case against Mr Murley.

He said they were doing this to "crackdown" in opposition to the changes.

"In building the case they also discriminated against him," he added.

Mr Murley is claiming £30,000 for injury to feelings.

Judge Alastair Smail said a ruling would be given next year.