This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20336037

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
BBC crisis: Lord McAlpine 'in shock' over abuse claim BBC crisis: Lord McAlpine 'in shock' over abuse claim
(35 minutes later)
Tory peer Lord McAlpine has spoken of his "shock" after a BBC Newsnight report led to him being wrongly implicated in child abuse allegations.Tory peer Lord McAlpine has spoken of his "shock" after a BBC Newsnight report led to him being wrongly implicated in child abuse allegations.
The former Conservative party treasurer told BBC Radio 4's The World at One he should have been contacted beforehand.The former Conservative party treasurer told BBC Radio 4's The World at One he should have been contacted beforehand.
He also said the BBC had left him with a "legacy" that "can't be repaired".He also said the BBC had left him with a "legacy" that "can't be repaired".
Some of those involved in deciding to run the report on care homes in north Wales face disciplinary measures.Some of those involved in deciding to run the report on care homes in north Wales face disciplinary measures.
Lord McAlpine's lawyer told the BBC that a number of prominent people who had named his client on the internet - including Guardian columnist George Monbiot - had already apologised.
Media watchdog Ofcom has confirmed it is investigating both Newsnight and ITV's This Morning programme over the allegations.Media watchdog Ofcom has confirmed it is investigating both Newsnight and ITV's This Morning programme over the allegations.
ITV said "appropriate disciplinary action" had been taken after a presenter inadvertently broadcast a list of names of alleged child abusers taken from the internet.ITV said "appropriate disciplinary action" had been taken after a presenter inadvertently broadcast a list of names of alleged child abusers taken from the internet.
Although former Conservative party treasurer Lord McAlpine was not named by Newsnight, the report led to a flood of accusations about him online. Although Lord McAlpine was not named by Newsnight, the report led to a flood of accusations about him online.
The BBC, which has apologised "unreservedly" for the report, said it hoped to reach a "settlement" of the matter on Thursday.The BBC, which has apologised "unreservedly" for the report, said it hoped to reach a "settlement" of the matter on Thursday.
'Extremely bad''Extremely bad'
Lord McAlpine said he had been "in a state of shock" after hearing of the allegations.Lord McAlpine said he had been "in a state of shock" after hearing of the allegations.
"I was in southern Italy. I don't have television, I don't get newspapers, we don't have the internet. To suddenly find I was mixed up in all this, and I didn't know what Newsnight was going to say, it really was a horrendous shock. "I was in southern Italy. I don't have television, I don't get newspapers, we don't have the internet. To suddenly find I was mixed up in all this, and I didn't know what Newsnight was going to say, it really was a horrendous shock."
He added the BBC "should have called me" and he would have told them "that it was complete rubbish".He added the BBC "should have called me" and he would have told them "that it was complete rubbish".
"They could have saved themselves a lot of agonising and money, actually, if they'd just made that telephone call.""They could have saved themselves a lot of agonising and money, actually, if they'd just made that telephone call."
The peer was asked about London Mayor Boris Johnson's comment that to call someone a paedophile was to "consign them to the lowest circle of hell - and while they're still alive".The peer was asked about London Mayor Boris Johnson's comment that to call someone a paedophile was to "consign them to the lowest circle of hell - and while they're still alive".
He replied: "Absolutely. I think it describes pretty much what happened to me in the first few days of this event. He replied: "Absolutely. I think it describes pretty much what happened to me in the first few days of this event."
Asked if his reputation could ever be restored he said: "No, it can't be repaired. It could be repaired to a point, but there's a British proverb which is insidious and awful where people say 'there's no smoke without a fire - he appears to be innocent, but....'Asked if his reputation could ever be restored he said: "No, it can't be repaired. It could be repaired to a point, but there's a British proverb which is insidious and awful where people say 'there's no smoke without a fire - he appears to be innocent, but....'
"This is the legacy that sadly the BBC have left me with.""This is the legacy that sadly the BBC have left me with."
'Clearly wrong''Clearly wrong'
Lord McAlpine's solicitor Andrew Reid said he hoped an agreement would be reached with the BBC on Thursday, but said his client was aware any payment would ultimately come from licence fee payers.Lord McAlpine's solicitor Andrew Reid said he hoped an agreement would be reached with the BBC on Thursday, but said his client was aware any payment would ultimately come from licence fee payers.
The BBC's statement said: "The BBC is hopeful that it can agree a settlement with Lord McAlpine today."The BBC's statement said: "The BBC is hopeful that it can agree a settlement with Lord McAlpine today."
Mr Reid urged those who had named Lord McAlpine on the social media site Twitter to come forward. He said some prominent people had already apologised, but others had not. Mr Reid urged those who had named Lord McAlpine on the social media site Twitter to come forward.
He said Sally Bercow, wife of Commons Speaker John Bercow, had not yet been in touch to apologise for her tweets.
There's a dustbin icon underneath every Tweet you send, but clicking it doesn't mean the message is tossed on an electronic rubbish dump.There's a dustbin icon underneath every Tweet you send, but clicking it doesn't mean the message is tossed on an electronic rubbish dump.
It stays briefly on Twitter's searchable index of messages and can be found for much longer on mainstream search engines, though finding it can be laborious.It stays briefly on Twitter's searchable index of messages and can be found for much longer on mainstream search engines, though finding it can be laborious.
If you're famous or powerful your tweets are likely to be logged by news organisations, media watchers, and fans.If you're famous or powerful your tweets are likely to be logged by news organisations, media watchers, and fans.
This might just mean that they're echoed on a blog page, but some dedicated services archive them.This might just mean that they're echoed on a blog page, but some dedicated services archive them.
Politwoops gathers tweets deleted by politicians and there are similar services for celebrities and other prominent people.Politwoops gathers tweets deleted by politicians and there are similar services for celebrities and other prominent people.
Legal action is the ultimate resurrection tool for deleted tweets as messages will be preserved on Twitter's servers even if they are not publicly viewable.Legal action is the ultimate resurrection tool for deleted tweets as messages will be preserved on Twitter's servers even if they are not publicly viewable.
He told the World at One: "What we're basically saying to people is, look, we know - in inverted commas - who you are, we know exactly the extent of what you've done. It's easier to come forward and see us and apologise and arrange to settle with us because, in the long run, this is the cheapest and best way to bring this matter to an end." Mr Reid confirmed several prominent people had already apologised, including the Guardian columnist George Monbiot who said: "I'm feeling worse about this than about anything else I have ever done - though I realise that is as nothing by comparison to what you have gone through with the help of my stupidity and thoughtlessness."
Mr Reid also confirmed ITV's This Morning programme would be sent a letter. Mr Reid told the World at One: "It's easier to come forward and see us and apologise and arrange to settle with us because, in the long run, this is the cheapest and best way to bring this matter to an end."
He also confirmed ITV's This Morning programme would be sent a letter.
In a live interview several days after Newsnight's abuse report, ITV presenter Phillip Schofield handed the prime minister a list of names he said were being mentioned online as alleged paedophiles.In a live interview several days after Newsnight's abuse report, ITV presenter Phillip Schofield handed the prime minister a list of names he said were being mentioned online as alleged paedophiles.
Mr Schofield later apologised amid suggestions the names could be seen by viewers due to a "misjudged camera angle".Mr Schofield later apologised amid suggestions the names could be seen by viewers due to a "misjudged camera angle".
In a statement on Thursday, ITV said it had investigated the "mistake" and that "appropriate disciplinary action" had been taken.In a statement on Thursday, ITV said it had investigated the "mistake" and that "appropriate disciplinary action" had been taken.
It added: "We sincerely apologise because the way in which the issue was raised was clearly wrong and should have been handled differently." ITV News' UK editor Lucy Manning said: "Phillip Schofield plus some of the This Morning production staff have been disciplined." Schofield appeared on Thursday's programme as normal.
ITV News' UK editor Lucy Manning confirmed: "Phillip Schofield plus some of the This Morning production staff have been disciplined." Schofield appeared on Thursday's programme as normal.
The full interview with Lord McAlpine was broadcast on the World at One on BBC Radio 4 at 13:00 GMT. Listen again on iPlayer Radio.The full interview with Lord McAlpine was broadcast on the World at One on BBC Radio 4 at 13:00 GMT. Listen again on iPlayer Radio.