The Huw Edwards case puts a spotlight on trust in public institutions - Daxa Patel

I connected on LinkedIn with Mr Edwards following the death of his father as I had heard that he had struggled with his grief. So many people like me would have seen him as a genuine person in need of sympathy and support, but the conviction of this man raises a doubt on whether trust on the surface is really of value, and whether what we see is the truth?

The Director General of the BBC after the sentencing said that he does not envisage Edwards working for the BBC again, that is almost as if he is not so certain. For the BBC though this must have been an incredibly tricky situation to manage and it has come out looking inept at the handling of it. The decision making at the top lacked a sense of urgency or appreciation of how this would be reputationally bad not just for the brand of BBC but for the rest of their staff, not to mention their trust in their employers.

Paying someone such a large amount in salary and now seeking a refund of almost £220k of licence payers’ money, only recently shows how slow they have been to appreciate how bad this looks.

In mitigation, references were made to Huw Edwards' ill mental health, and depression, but is this not doing an injustice to the many thousands of people who have mental health issues and would not dream of committing such a heinous crime?

What is shocking about Mr Edwards fall from grace is that he commanded respect by virtue of his TV presence and his skill as the anchor of BBC News. He was the chosen one to break the news of our late Queen’s death, he was seen as the voice we could all trust. With that elevation came immense power yet beneath all this he was seemingly suffering from low self-esteem.

Anyone in a position of power, whether they are a parent or known respectable TV news anchor, has a responsibility which is much bigger than them.

Just like a parent whose job is not just to nurture their child but also to protect the child and set a good example. The same applies to anyone who enjoys a position of power which Huw Edwards had in abundance until the Sun newspaper investigation that cast a doubt on him in July 2023. If it had not been for the Sun Newspaper’s work one wonders if these serious offences would have come to light?

For anyone in power this is a reminder of how our responsibility is bigger than our job title, breach of trust and abuse of power are like glass once broken the shattered pieces cannot be put back together.

Harold Shipman and Lucy Letby were also people who abused their power and breached the trust of those who trusted them. The public had the right to expect better from Huw Edwards as did his family and more importantly, as did the young victims of his appalling judgement, and gross misconduct.

Amidst these lessons in broken trust and abuses of power, one must ponder on the systemic safeguards that failed to prevent such transgressions. Institutions like the BBC, revered for their integrity and supposed ethical fortitude, have a moral duty to enforce robust oversight mechanisms.

However, the repeated failure in detecting and addressing issues of such magnitude reveals a daunting gap in their leadership and governance. It is disheartening to acknowledge that despite modern advances in corporate governance, we are still grappling with age-old issues born of unchecked power.

Furthermore, it is essential for us to remember that authority figures are mere mortals, prone to the same flaws and failings as any individual. Yet, their actions are magnified, impacting multitudes, and often carrying far-reaching consequences. Leaders, be they in media, government, or healthcare, must be held to an unequivocal standard of accountability. The public’s trust is a treasure, not to be recklessly squandered but to be conscientiously safeguarded.

Considering the suspended sentence of Huw Edwards and others like him, it is imperative to foster a culture where speaking up against injustices is not just encouraged but becomes the norm. Whistleblowers should be protected and heard, institutions must adopt transparency, and swift action should follow any hint of impropriety.

As a society, we must relentlessly question and introspect on not only the character of those we elevate to a pedestal but also the systemic structures that empower them. Only through diligent vigilance can we hope to mend the fractures in our trust.

Daxa Manhar Patel is a leadership coach, author and solicitor.