MONITOR: BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL

Reflections on William Hague's attempt to block the appointment of Greg Dyke to run the BBC

The Express

THE APPOINTMENT of a new director general should be the exclusive preserve of the governors. The appointment has nothing to do with him. If Tony Blair were to write to the chairman of the BBC objecting to the candidacy of someone with known Tory views, Mr Hague would, rightly, hit the roof. Mr Hague lost what little credibility he has left and showed himself to be a grubby little man, prepared to blacken the reputation of anyone if he thinks it might gain him a bit of cheap publicity and to ride roughshod over all notions of propriety. He should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. (Stephen Pollard)

The Guardian

AS THE battle to be the next director general of the BBC enters its final weeks, do not expect it to let up. The Government stuck its oar in yesterday, saying that it wasn't the politicians' business who ran the BBC. But in this world of mirrors they neglected to mention that a concerted spinning campaign against an internal candidate and for Dyke has come from government circles. So many competing interests, so little room for manoeuvre. The BBC governors will make the decision on who will run the corporation.Whatever they decide, it is going to cause a stink.

(Kamal Ahmed)

The Mirror

WE HAVE so far stayed out of the debate on who should be the next director general of the BBC, although we will declare our colours soon. We can't help feeling more sympathetic to the cause of TV chief Greg Dyke now that Hague has tried to veto him for donating money to the Labour Party. Being attacked by Mr Hague is the greatest endorsement any candidate could wish for. Mr Dyke must be a happy man today.