Ulster Unionist Economy spokesperson, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has called on BBC Northern Ireland to rethink its proposal to drop the daily business news slots on its flagship Good Morning Ulster radio programme.

Mike Nesbitt said: “I have written to the Director of BBC NI, Adam Smyth, asking for an urgent meeting to hear his rationale, because I do not understand the decision. It strikes me as sending entirely the wrong message. Think no further than the work Joe Kennedy III is doing as President Biden’s Special Envoy for Economic Affairs, trying to attract foreign direct investment here.

"It’s a negative message for potential investors to read online that the state broadcaster does not rate the economy highly enough to justify a daily bulletin. Remember, the BBC have already dropped the weekly business programme that used to run for half an hour on a Friday afternoon.

“I understand there is an eternal argument between having fixed, daily slots for specific areas or covering developments on the basis of how newsworthy they are. But if this is a move to the latter, then why business news rather than sport? Or is sport to be next? These are important issues and it is incumbent on BBC NI to be transparent and accountable.”