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John Whittingdale ruffles feathers at BBC campaign event with off-piste speech

Last night BBC staff and musicians alike assembled at Portcullis House to back UK Music’s Let it Beeb campaign. As guests including Lord Hall, Sandie Shaw and Anneka Rice raised a glass to the campaign which aims to protect BBC music services from the threat of charter renewal, MPs including Ed Vaizey and Jess Phillips made sure they didn’t miss the chance for a celebrity selfie. EdVaizey LetItBeeb_46 It then fell on organisers to urge everyone in the room to sign their petition calling on the government to ‘protect vital BBC music services from any budgetary cuts during the charter renewal process’. With that in mind, they made sure that John Whittingdale, the Culture Secretary, was in the audience to hear their pleas. He watched on as Tony Hall spoke about the importance of BBC music, while messages from celebrity supporters flashed up on the screen including a quote from Sir Bob Geldof telling the government to ‘f— off’.
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Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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