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| BBC Trust would have considered firing George Entwistle | BBC Trust would have considered firing George Entwistle |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lord Patten has admitted that the BBC Trust would have considered firing George Entwistle at the weekend if he had not made his "honourable" offer to resign as director general. | Lord Patten has admitted that the BBC Trust would have considered firing George Entwistle at the weekend if he had not made his "honourable" offer to resign as director general. |
| Patten said in a letter to John Whittingdale, chairman of the culture select committee, that he and his fellow trustees were poised to discuss the "option of termination". Whittingdale is one of numerous critics of Entwistle receiving a full year's salary of £450,000 as part of the terms of his resignation, despite being in the job for only 54 days. | Patten said in a letter to John Whittingdale, chairman of the culture select committee, that he and his fellow trustees were poised to discuss the "option of termination". Whittingdale is one of numerous critics of Entwistle receiving a full year's salary of £450,000 as part of the terms of his resignation, despite being in the job for only 54 days. |
| The chairman's admission came on Monday as acting BBC director general Tim Davie appearing to walk away from his first live Sky News interview while he was still being questioned, although corporation insiders immediately insisted that it was a misunderstanding. | The chairman's admission came on Monday as acting BBC director general Tim Davie appearing to walk away from his first live Sky News interview while he was still being questioned, although corporation insiders immediately insisted that it was a misunderstanding. |
| Davie appeared to cut short the interview after being asked repeatedly whether Entwistle was responsible for the calamitous Newsnight film on 2 November that mistakenly linked a Conservative peer to allegations of child sexual abuse. | Davie appeared to cut short the interview after being asked repeatedly whether Entwistle was responsible for the calamitous Newsnight film on 2 November that mistakenly linked a Conservative peer to allegations of child sexual abuse. |
| Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan compounded the embarrassment for Davie by asking: "Are more heads going to roll?" as the director general attempted to awkwardly edge out of shot. Murnaghan said after the interview: "I bet he wouldn't do that to the BBC." | Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan compounded the embarrassment for Davie by asking: "Are more heads going to roll?" as the director general attempted to awkwardly edge out of shot. Murnaghan said after the interview: "I bet he wouldn't do that to the BBC." |
| Under the terms of his contract, Entwistle was entitled to six months' pay in lieu of service. | |
| "In the absence of George's honourable offer to resign, I would have had to speak to the trustees about the option of termination by us (which, fortunately, was not necessary)," Patten wrote in his letter to Whittingdale. "In these circumstances, George would have been entitled to 12 months' notice." | "In the absence of George's honourable offer to resign, I would have had to speak to the trustees about the option of termination by us (which, fortunately, was not necessary)," Patten wrote in his letter to Whittingdale. "In these circumstances, George would have been entitled to 12 months' notice." |
| Patten said the BBC Trust met with Entwistle and his advisers on Saturday night, which produced a negotiated settlement which was best for all parties. | |
| He added the trustees "expressed serious concerns" about how the 2 November Newsnight story was being handled. | |
| "Under the terms of George's contract the notice period for resignation is six months. The notice period for termination by the BBC Trust is 12 months. Both with the right for the trust to make payments in lieu of notice," Patten said. | "Under the terms of George's contract the notice period for resignation is six months. The notice period for termination by the BBC Trust is 12 months. Both with the right for the trust to make payments in lieu of notice," Patten said. |
| "In circumstances where we needed to conclude matters quickly and required George's ongoing co-operation in a number of very difficult and sensitive matters, including the inquiries into issues associated with Savile, I concluded that a consensual resignation on these terms was clearly the better route." | "In circumstances where we needed to conclude matters quickly and required George's ongoing co-operation in a number of very difficult and sensitive matters, including the inquiries into issues associated with Savile, I concluded that a consensual resignation on these terms was clearly the better route." |
| The decision has been strongly criticised by MPs, culture secretary Maria Miller, who said the deal was "tough to justify", and her Labour shadow Harriet Harman. | The decision has been strongly criticised by MPs, culture secretary Maria Miller, who said the deal was "tough to justify", and her Labour shadow Harriet Harman. |
| Patten said he consulted the BBC Trust's remuneration committee as well as taking legal advice and determined the payout avoided "long drawn-out" discussions fuelling "continuing uncertainty" at the corporation. | |
| "Our conclusion was that a settlement on these terms was justified and necessary," he added. "The alternative was long drawn-out discussions and continuing uncertainty at a time when the BBC needs all of its focus to be on resolving fundamental issues of trust in BBC journalism." | "Our conclusion was that a settlement on these terms was justified and necessary," he added. "The alternative was long drawn-out discussions and continuing uncertainty at a time when the BBC needs all of its focus to be on resolving fundamental issues of trust in BBC journalism." |
| Davie, speaking to BBC News in his first TV interview since taking control at the corporation and immediately before he appeared on Sky News, said that he is "getting a grip" on the situation and providing "clarity and leadership". | Davie, speaking to BBC News in his first TV interview since taking control at the corporation and immediately before he appeared on Sky News, said that he is "getting a grip" on the situation and providing "clarity and leadership". |
| "The BBC deserves strong leadership and that's what I want to bring," he added. "I have focused on creating a simple chain of command in news. I've got full grip of the situation by clarifying who is in charge." | "The BBC deserves strong leadership and that's what I want to bring," he added. "I have focused on creating a simple chain of command in news. I've got full grip of the situation by clarifying who is in charge." |
| However, he again refused to be drawn on Entwistle's payout. "That is a matter for the trust, not a decision for the director general," he said. "In terms of getting a grip of the organisation having just come into the job I have to work on what I can control." | However, he again refused to be drawn on Entwistle's payout. "That is a matter for the trust, not a decision for the director general," he said. "In terms of getting a grip of the organisation having just come into the job I have to work on what I can control." |
| He added that he was wary about taking swift disciplinary action against BBC staff. "I don't subscribe to the view you should act quickly in that regard and be unreasonable." | He added that he was wary about taking swift disciplinary action against BBC staff. "I don't subscribe to the view you should act quickly in that regard and be unreasonable." |
| Davie later told BBC Radio 4's The World at One that he hoped to speak to Lord McAlpine to apologise for the Newsnight broadcast. | Davie later told BBC Radio 4's The World at One that he hoped to speak to Lord McAlpine to apologise for the Newsnight broadcast. |
| The former BBC director general, Mark Thompson, doorstepped by TV news journalists as he entered the New York Times Company offices in Manhattan for his first day in his new job as its chief executive, said he was very saddened by recent events at the corporation. | |
| "But I believe that the BBC is the world's greatest broadcaster. I have no doubt it will once again regain the public's trust both in the UK and around the world. It is full of people with real integrity and talent and I have no doubt it will get back on its feet really soon," Thompson added. | "But I believe that the BBC is the world's greatest broadcaster. I have no doubt it will once again regain the public's trust both in the UK and around the world. It is full of people with real integrity and talent and I have no doubt it will get back on its feet really soon," Thompson added. |
| He said the BBC crisis would not affect his new job "in any way". Thompson has faced scrutiny over what he knew about the Newsnight Jimmy Savile investigation that was dropped in late 2011 and more widely about whether he was aware of sex abuse allegations against the late Jim'll Fix It presenter when he was director general. | He said the BBC crisis would not affect his new job "in any way". Thompson has faced scrutiny over what he knew about the Newsnight Jimmy Savile investigation that was dropped in late 2011 and more widely about whether he was aware of sex abuse allegations against the late Jim'll Fix It presenter when he was director general. |
| He has admitted he was told about Newsnight's Savile story after it was axed, but has said he was never made aware of the wider allegations. | He has admitted he was told about Newsnight's Savile story after it was axed, but has said he was never made aware of the wider allegations. |
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