'From the General Strike of 1926 to Andrew Gilligan's "sexed-up" dodgy dossier exclusive 77 years later, the BBC has struggled to define its relationship with government. The corporation's most ardent admirers acknowledge that its independence has often been compromised by a reluctance to confront ministers.
For ideological opponents, this risk aversion is an inevitable consequence of the licence fee.
'Others say it has grown particularly intense since the fiasco of the Hutton inquiry. Those in the latter camp say the corporation's response to the injunction that prevented the 10 o'clock news on Friday 2nd March transmitting allegations in the cash-for-honours probe marks a new low.'
