the investigation into nadhim zahawi's financial affairs was kick started by the tax expert dan needle. listen to how he was referred to by monday's news at ten on tuesday's newsnight. now, dan needle is a labour—supporting tax lawyer who's been investigating mr zahawi's tax affair, particularly regarding investments. dan needle is also a senior tax, but he's also a very vociferous labour supporter as well, it has to be said. yes, i don't think- that's the real issue. those weren't the only occasions dan needle was described on the bbc as being labour—supporting. steve hilton agreed that mr needle�*s sympathies weren't the issues here, and recorded this video for us.

so, what's going on here is the bbc inferring that someone�*s political allegiance means that their criticism is somehow invalid. are we, in future, going to be informed when a guest is conservative—supporting 7 i'd really be interested in the editorial process here. and lissy wilkins contrasted the description of mr needle as labour—supporting with the treatment of the bbc chairman in the following item on monday's program. no mention was made of mr sharp's support of the tory party or, indeed, the large donation he had made to the tory party. if this is to be the bbc�*s policy to identify the political allegiance of everyone appearing in the programme, this policy should apply to everyone. we put those points to bbc news and they told us:

the bbc chairman richard sharp gave an interview on tuesday to the corporation's own media editor. katie razzall. it came two days after newspaper story allege he'd helped facilitate a loan to the then prime minister, borisjohnson, just weeks before mrjohnson appointed him chairman of the bbc. he denies being involved in any loan. she asked mr sharp about the allegations of a conflict of interest around the time he was appointed to the post. during the process, candidates were asked if there could be anything that might embarrass the government or the organisation if it came to light. i mean, this is embarrassing to the bbc and potentially the government isn't it? having had a discussion

with the cabinet secretary about avoiding conflict and the perception of conflict, i felt comfortable — and i still feel there was no conflict. well, let's talk now to katie razzall, recently appointed media editor for bbc news in addition to her role as cultural editor. katie, how did that interview come about? well, from the moment i actually read about the sunday times story on my app on saturday times app night and thought that is the week goal. i knew that this was the story we needed to cover and i wanted to cover, a really important story. i spoke to the news desk in the morning and they put in a request to richard sharpe and i personally also put in a request to richard sharp from the beginning, just saying he ought to do an interview and needed to do an interview and part of, you know, obviously trying to persuade him that it was an important thing to do, particularly around, you know, there was a lot of talk about transparency at the bbc and it felt it was a very important interview for him to do and obviously i wanted to get that interview and late on monday

night, i heard through the press office that he was going to give me an interview. did the bbc set _ to give me an interview. did the bbc set any _ to give me an interview. did the bbc set any conditions on the bbc set any conditions on the interview?— the interview? absolutely no conditions — the interview? absolutely no conditions whatsoever, - the interview? absolutely no conditions whatsoever, and i j conditions whatsoever, and i think it is actually very important to tell you that i did not feel under pressure. i know people worry when you are doing a story about your own organisation, it was that it must be difficult for you but actually i do not know if it is because i am not abbc wi—fi, this is the first bbc story i have done as media editor that i definitely did not feel under pressure from the bbc over this and in fact the senior management and indeed, tim davie the director—general did come to me and talk to me just to say we want to make sure that you are clear, you must report this without fear or favour. we have no pressure on you whatsoever. we support you in your endeavours as a journalist to support a couple report this was the tack i took my need to be fair, accurate, impartial and very glad to get this interview and pleased he has given it to me and i make sure i asked the right questions.— sure i asked the right questions. you mention

impartiality _ questions. you mention impartiality and - questions. you mention impartiality and richard| impartiality and richard carapaz publicly criticised bbc journalist for alleged bias in helping the government and i wonder what sense you get as media editor of how the bbc�*s reputation impartiality is affected by this —— richard sharp's publicly criticised. perception matter and that is what i have been saying to my reporting of this is that perceptions matter and you know, his impartiality is potentially being called into question and that does potentially reflect on the bbc. but at the same time i suppose it is worth pointing out this isn't her bbc story in the way that perhaps other bbc stories might come about. this is a story of a person who is appointed by the government. so the bbc had nothing to do with his appointment. the government decides who is going to be bbc ever, was always thus, some have been labour but mainly in recent years obviously they've been conservative so in that sense, feels a little bit more distant than from the bbc than covering some other bbc stories that i might tackle in the

future. , . . , future. use watch viewers will know there — future. use watch viewers will know there have _ future. use watch viewers will know there have been - future. use watch viewers will know there have been a - future. use watch viewers will l know there have been a number of big bbc scandals before, jimmy southwell, cliff richard, we have interviewed some bbc bosses here on this programme about them. covid jimmy southwell. you mentioned covering the bbc in the future, do you think it will be a big part of your brief. —— saville. the bbc is a big beast in the media landscape so i do not think i could say to you i will not be covering it a reasonable amount so in that instance, yes i think i do think it will be a reasonable amount of what i'm covering but i think first of all there is an enormous global media landscape out there in the intersection of media with tech and all sorts of other issues to cover is on the media briefing won't only be the bbc. some viewers may think the media are obsessed with stories about themselves. as a public true? �* , , true? it's interesting, there is a question _ true? it's interesting, there is a question of— true? it's interesting, therel is a question of navel-gazing is a question of navel—gazing isn't it and certainly i have had the odd father—in—law my only have one, but saying i don't know why you are reporting this this is navel—gazing and who cares about it but actually first of

all i don't think of this specific instance it is navel—gazing. because it is an important story, it was a story thatis important story, it was a story that is punching out, but other people were reporting, and the idea that the bbc would not report a story of this kind, i mean, we'd be accused of a lot worse than navel—gazing if that was the case but i do think more broadly, i hope in this role, you know, my role as culture editor and media editor and you know as a resident on front row how much culture there is up there, i will cover there is up there, i will cover the media, of course i am, i am the media, of course i am, i am the media, of course i am, i am the media editor and there are important stories in the media to cover, whether it is the streaming wars or distrust in our institutions, holding these institutions to account, but i do think in the end, culture is a very broad brief as well so i don't think, i hope i would never be accused of navel—gazing! never be accused of navel-gazing!- never be accused of navel-hazin! ., ., ., navel-gazing! katie razzall, thank you- _ finally, thursday saw the latest in a series of departures from bbc news. joanna gosling who, along

with two of her fellow presenters, david eades and tim willcox, is leaving the corporation after 23 years on the news channel in advance of its merger with the international world news channel in april. at the end of her last shift on screen, she gave an emotional thank you to the audience and her colleagues. we're a team but it's felt like family. lucky me to have had this great job that's never felt like a job. thank you for having me. bye— bye. applause. hello there, at long last the temperatures have evened out a bit... that consolidation of the national and international news channels to one swervice means job losses and including the reduction of lead presenters to sex without those mccrow four to six. those remaining after this month of my departures have been asked to do screen tests as part of the recruitment process. the bbc has nothing to say publicly about the process that we did express his thanks and best wishes to joanna express his thanks and best wishes tojoanna gosling and the other departing presenters.

this is what few are heather dobson had to say: thank you for all your comments this week. if you want to share your opinions about what you see or hear on bbc news on tv, radio, online and social media, e—mail us. or you can find us on twitter. you can call us. and do have a look at previous interviews on our website. that's all from us. we'll be back to hear your thoughts about bbc news coverage again next week.

goodbye. hello. the weekend is getting off to a relatively tranquil, sedate start in most places. it won't stay that way for all of us. something livelier heading to the north of the uk by sunday but for saturday, largely dry with some sunshine, some quite large areas of cloud around as well. in fact, we've got this stripe of cloud pushing its way southwards out of northern ireland and southern scotland, down across northern england, into the north midlands and parts of wales through the afternoon. and with that, there mayjust be the odd spot of drizzle. to the south of that, some early fog giving way to limited sunny spells, some quite large areas of cloud. best of the sunshine for northern ireland and for scotland, albeit with some showers in the west of scotland and temperatures of seven or eight degrees. now, during saturday night, we will see this area of cloud sinking further south across wales, central and southern parts of england, again with the odd spot of drizzle. further north, there'll

be some patchy clouds, some clear spells, most places probably avoiding a frost. we mayjust see a touch of frost in one or two locations. into sunday, high pressure keeps things relatively calm in the south but this frontal system is going to change things in the north of the uk. a lot of low clouds and mistiness around southern parts to start sunday morning, then we'll see some spells of sunshine. but from northern england northwards through the afternoon, it is going to turn really very windy, particularly gusty conditions to the eastern side of the pennines, around the coasts of northern ireland and in some exposed parts of the north of scotland, we will see gusts of 65 mph or more with this band of rain pushing its way southwards. but just ahead of that rain band, it's going to be very mild indeed — 12 degrees for a time there in aberdeen and a mild day generally for most of us. now, into monday, we will have a brisk north or north—westerly wind blowing into these north—eastern parts of the country, so feeling a little bit chilly here. but behind that, we see a ridge of high pressure building, some dry weather, some spells of sunshine, temperatures between 7—10 degrees.

but let me show you what might happen with our weather as we move out of monday into tuesday because this deep area of low pressure is expected to move close to the north of scotland. and depending onjust how deep this low ends up being, well, we could see some very strong winds indeed. so, it could be that through the first half of next week, things turn livelier still in the north of the uk, staying calmer further south.

this is bbc news. i'm monika plaha. our top stories: police video footage of the arrest that led to the death of tyre nichols has been released. nojustice! all: no peace! we said nojustice! protests have been taking place across the country. president biden said he was outraged by what he'd seen. israeli police say at least seven people have been killed in a mass shooting at a synagogue in east jerusalem. a state of emergency is declared in new zealand — after two people are killed in severe flooding in auckland.