BBC bosses want defence budget to help pay for the World Service

Exclusive: Executives at corporation say media monitoring and anti-disinformation are vital to national security

BBC bosses are lobbying to use the UK’s defence budget to help pay for the embattled World Service, arguing that aspects of the service should qualify as vital for national security.

Senior executives at the corporation are in talks with officials over whether parts of the service, such as media monitoring and anti-disinformation, should count towards Britain’s security, as they attempt to avoid cuts of tens of millions of pounds.