The BBC announced earlier this week that its Hardtalk show, presented by Stephen Sackur and broadcast on the BBC News Channel in the UK and internationally on BBC World News, was being axed.

While the BBC is in a difficult place because of its treatment by the previous Conservative government, who held the view that the license fee was outdated and biased against them, as a public service broadcaster, cutting respected news and journalism programmes is creating an environment that damages the UK and its image and reputation abroad.