BRITISH ASIAN journalist Anushka Asthana is a frontrunner to be the BBC’s political editor role on all-female shortlist, media reports last week said.
ITV’s Asthana and Sky News’s Sophy Ridge were said to be among finalists for the coveted position.
Asthana, 41, has been ITV News’s deputy political editor for a year and co-presents the ITV political discussion series Peston with its eponymous host. Previously she was The Guardian’s editor-at-large and has previously worked as a political correspondent at The Times.
Several sources said Asthana is a frontrunner for Laura Kuenssberg’s role, alongside Sophy Ridge, who presents Sky News’s flagship Sunday morning show. Other candidates include Pippa Crerar, political editor of the Daily Mirror and Alex Forsyth, the BBC’s political correspondent.
The broadcaster is believed to have held interviews on Friday (18) and could likely announce a replacement for Kuenssberg before she steps down at Easter.
Kuenssberg, 45, is considered to be the favourite to replace Andrew Marr on the BBC’s Sunday morning political show (Marr left the BBC last year to join LBC). She made history when taking over the political editor role in 2015 from Nick Robinson, as the first woman to hold the post.
The successful candidate will also take up an attractive £260,000-a-year salary for the high-profile role, as well as being only the second woman to ever hold the post.
If Asthana gets the job, she will also make history as the first person of colour in the history of the BBC Political Editor role.
Julian Knight MP, the Tory chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, told The Telegraph, "They are clearly four very capable people - and that is what counts at the end of the day.
"Whoever is going to be given this landmark position in the BBC needs to keep impartiality at the centre of what they do.
"Because let’s be frank about it - the BBC, despite the work of the director-general, still has a long way to go in terms of impartiality."
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)