BBC veteran David Dimbleby criticises tax cuts with rare on-air expletive

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David Dimbleby delivered a rare expletive on-air as he discussed the UK’s economic turmoil with the BBC.

During Thursday’s (29 September) episode of the BBC’s Newscast podcast, host Adam Fleming told Dimbleby: “I should make clear, you don’t work for the BBC, you can speak really freely.”

“It just seems extraordinary and I mean, it is a complete s***storm for people who are actually trying to sell abroad or back here,” the former Question Time host said.

His language caused Fleming to exclaim “you’ve definitely left the BBC haven’t you” while co-host Jo Coburn reassured listeners it was after the 9pm UK watershed.

Dimbleby responded: “I do think it is extraordinary. I thought that the victory was interesting, Liz Truss becoming prime minister.”

He continued: “We knew her quite well on Question Time over the years and it was quite an eye opener when she became prime minister. But I haven’t seen anything quite so melodramatic as this. I think it stands up because I think what Kwasi Kwarteng announced was a massive change.

“This 45 per cent tax dropping to 40 suddenly, at a time when people are actually already deciding whether to buy a pullover and not turn the heating on… We can’t have hot meals and heat our houses at the same time and all that’s going on.”

Dimbleby retired from Question Time in 2018, handing the reins to Fiona Bruce.

Since then he has helped produce a number of BBC programmes before his involvement in the Queen’s state funeral – following in the footsteps of his father Richard Dimbleby.

In last week’s “mini-budget” Kwarteng said the top rate of income tax, the 45 per cent rate for earnings over £150,000, would be abolished altogether.

Kwarteng also confirmed plans to get rid of the cap on bankers’ bonuses.

Additional reporting from outlets