According to a Freedom of Information response the Brussels Broadcasting Company BBC has spent a massive £158,100 on Common Purpose training. According to the BBC this was to "assist senior editorial staff in building partnerships and developing knowledge, experience and contacts in their local area." They go on to say that " Staff who attended the course reported that it had been both a really useful learning / training experience and had also opened up a huge network of contacts."
It is surprising that the BBC stated previously, that BBC staff trained by Common Purpose such as Mr Harding (a member of the London Common Purpose Advisory Board), were involved with Common purpose in a "totally private capacity", which had "nothing to do with his position at the BBC."
So, it appears that the BBC spends £151,000 of licence payers' money for Common purpose training which benefits them in their private time. Does this sound like a lie, corruption, false accounting or massive incompetence?
Alternatively we know that key BBC employees such a Robert Peston are not only fully involved with Common purpose but are prepared to advertise their involvement and recommend Common Purpose using their BBC title. Mr Peston is of course also a member of the Media Standards Trust alongside none other than Julia Midleton CEO of Common Purpose.
Considering that Common Purpose is intimately and directly linked to NuLabour and political think tanks such as Demos, a detached third party observer might well get the impression that Common Purpose is a political training vehicle for the government. What do you think? Corruption?
Search on this site under BBC section for more information on Mr Harding.
