John Simpson defends BBC decision not to call Hamas terrorists

John Simpson, the BBC's world affairs editor, has defended the broadcaster's decision to avoid calling Hamas terrorists.

The veteran journalist hit back at accusations from politicians including Lucy Frazer, the culture secretary, and Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, and the chief rabbi that the BBC was wrong to label the organisation only as militants.

Simpson, 79, said that adopting the term "terrorists" would compromise the BBC's impartiality.

"British politicians know perfectly well why the BBC avoids the word 'terrorist', and over the years plenty of them have privately agreed with it," he said.

"Calling someone a terrorist means you're taking sides and ceasing to treat the situation with due impartiality.

The BBC's job is to place the facts before its audience and let them decide