Sir John Whittingdale OBE, MP for Maldon, recently participated in a Westminster Hall debate discussing the future of the BBC world service.

Sir John argued that the World Service is one of Britain’s greatest soft-power assets. In a world awash with foreign interference and propaganda, Sir John argued that our globally trusted news service cuts through the noise, giving citizens from Moldova to Myanmar a reliable lifeline to the truth.

In his speech, Sir John warned that Russia and China are flooding social platforms with disinformation just as independent outlets are being silenced, and explained how the World Service relentlessly counters this tide with fact-based reporting. He reminded colleagues that, since 2010, our funding model has depended on a blend of licence-fee contributions and Foreign Office top-ups—but with official development assistance budgets now squeezed, fresh cuts loom large. That’s why Sir John urged the Minister present, not only to protect this vital institution from further reductions but to strengthen its budget.