Baroness Warsi asks BBC about contingencies for strike

Lady Warsi, the chair of the Conservative party, yesterday wrote to the BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, to ask what contingency plans he has in place to ensure the corporation reports the Tory party conference properly. Unions are due to stage two sets of strikes against changes to the BBC pension on 5 and 6 October and 19 and 20 October. The first strikes clash with the final day of the conference, when David Cameron is due to make his first conference speech as prime minister. The second strike covers the day George Osborne is due to outline the government's spending review. Warsi wrote: "I would be grateful if you could let me know what contingency plans are in place to ensure political coverage is maintained during the conference period, in line with the BBC's obligation to provide impartial political coverage."