Tory MPs Peter Luff and Hugo Swire call for reinstatement of Ed Stourton

As Iain Dale blogged last week, Ed Stourton learnt that his time at the Today programme was ending from a non-BBC journalist.

The BBC is now reporting that MPs of all parties - including Hugo Swire and Peter Luff - have signed an EDM calling for him to be reinstated:

Peter gave ConHome this statement:

"I'm not saying Ed Stourton is perfect - in fact I didn't much like his "revelations" about the Queen Mother. But I know he is a good and thoughtful interviewer whose inept and insensitive dismissal contrasts sharply with the treatment of Jonathan Ross. I think I'm right in saying that Ross is paid more every year than the entire budget of the Today programme. Its presenters, whatever their individual shortcomings, who do so much to inform and provoke, deserve to be much better treated than was Mr Stourton."

Meanwhile - on Comment is free - I've welcomed Justin Webb's appointment... and had a little go at the BBC's institutional biases.

Tim Montgomerie