Letter: Best man for the job

Sir: May I congratulate the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC, his colleagues and Greg Dyke.

There are few people or groups in this country today who would face down Rupert Murdoch, the Daily Mail, William Hague and the Guardian's Hugo Young.

I was in the BBC for 30 years and associated with it for another 15 and in that time formulated two propositions. Firstly, it was about 70 per cent certain that the Prime Minister of the day would appoint an unsuitable person to be Chairman of the BBC.

Secondly, the Board of Governors of the BBC was about 60 per cent likely to appoint the wrong candidate to be Director-General.

Let it be recorded that in 1999 the BBC governors decided who was the best man for the job, stuck to their guns and did not fudge or compromise.

JOHN GRIST

Richmond, Surrey