The Royal British Legion is lodging a complaint with the BBC over its coverage of reactions to the charity’s £9m restructuring project.

Civilsociety.co.uk has learned that RBL is unhappy about the BBC’s “unbalanced and agenda-driven” reporting, which implies that the charity is in “turmoil” over the restructure.

“Due balance has not been given,” an RBL spokesman said, referring to a news story of 29 November 2012 as well as the broadcaster’s coverage on its The Report programme on Radio 4. “We are in the process of lodging a formal complaint with the BBC Trust,” he said.

One grievance, he advised, is that the BBC story’s headline refers to “turmoil in the charity’s ranks” – but no one currently working for the charity is quoted expressing dissent. The story’s first paragraph then refers to “some former managers” deeming the move unnecessary.

“The headline is misleading and contradicts itself immediately,” the spokesman continued. “The £9m figure they report us spending on our Pathway for Growth restructure is accurate, but it is a long-term spend, that will benefit the RBL and ultimately lead to savings.”  

He added that the move towards awarding less grants and being more evidence-based simply reflected the current climate across the voluntary sector, and agreed with RBL’s director general Chris Simpkins' assertion in the BBC story that the restructure is necessary for the charity’s survival.

“If we carried on doing what we were doing last year, last month, ten years ago, we would wither and die like the dinosaurs,” Simpkins is quoted as saying.

“We can’t afford to do that. Because the only people who will be harmed out of that are our beneficiaries,” he adds.

The BBC told civilsociety.co.uk in response: "The BBC has not received a complaint and we will respond as and when we receive one in due course."