THE BBC has refused to reveal how much licence fee cash it has spent fighting Donald Trump’s $10billion lawsuit.
The broadcaster says it will not reveal the sum for fear it will undermine its defence and cause an “unnecessary distraction”.
Mr Trump is suing the BBC over claims the broadcaster edited a Panorama documentary to make it appear as if he had endorsed the January 6 US Capitol riots in 2021.
The case is set to go to trial in the US next February, unless a BBC application to have it struck out succeeds.
The Beeb could have to pay up to £7.5billion in damages if it loses.
Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: “The BBC boasts it is owned by the public, but doesn’t want to be accountable to it.
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“Secrecy has undone the BBC so many times, why is it not learning those lessons?”
In a letter, lawyers admitted that “information within the scope of the request is held by the BBC.”
However, they insisted: “Disclosing costs information, while proceedings are live and ongoing, would detract from the BBC’s ability to focus and participate in the proceedings.
“It would lead to unnecessary distraction and media speculation and divert the BBC’s resources from the proceedings.
“In addition, it is likely to provide information that is useful to President Trump’s legal team, to the detriment of the BBC.
“For example, costs information disclosed in response to FOI requests over time could be used by President Trump’s legal team to inform their litigation strategy and negotiation tactics.
“This would in turn prejudice the fair and effective administration of justice with both parties on an equal footing to one another.”
They added: “Accordingly, on balance, we consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.”
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