The BBC has been accused of treating religion as the ‘fag end’ of its priorities at a time of massive global upheaval after announcing it is to scrap its high-profile position of head of religion to cut costs. Aaqil Ahmed, the first Muslim to hold the post, and one of the most outspoken BBC executives, has been told his role in commissioning programmes is to be axed as part of a shake-up. Religion is to make an unlikely alliance with science, business issues and history under the oversight of a new head of ‘factual’ programming. The Church of England has voiced alarm at the move, arguing that the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris illustrates starkly how it is impossible to understand world events without a grasp of religious motivation. The Rt Rev Nick Baines, the Bishop of Leeds, said it was ‘staggering’ that the corporation was considering cutting the role, something he said appeared to be motivated by ‘ignorance’.