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Lord Patten says BBC must not 'abandon journalism' Lord Patten defends BBC pay-off to George Entwistle
(35 minutes later)
The chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, has told MPs the BBC must not "abandon or resign from investigative journalism" because of the mistakes made by Newsnight. The chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, has told MPs he had no choice but to agree to a £450,000 pay-off to director general George Entwistle.
Director general George Entwistle resigned earlier this month after a row involving the programme. Mr Entwistle, who had been in the job for just 54 days, resigned on 11 November after a row over Newsnight.
A Newsnight report had led to Thatcher-era Tory Lord McAlpine being wrongly accused of child abuse.A Newsnight report had led to Thatcher-era Tory Lord McAlpine being wrongly accused of child abuse.
Newsnight had earlier shelved an investigation into Jimmy Savile. The programme had previously shelved a sex abuse investigation into BBC TV presenter and DJ Jimmy Savile.
Lord Patten, appearing before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said there was a need for a "belt and braces" approach to make sure such "shoddy journalism" was not repeated. Lord Patten, appearing before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said Mr Entwistle had asked him if the BBC Trust - the corporation's governing body - was "urging him to go".
He was told: "We are not urging you to go. But we are not urging you to stay."
He said Mr Entwistle and his lawyers insisted he would not go unless he was paid a full 12 months' salary as well as private medical coverage and legal costs.
He said there had been feverish negotiation on 11 November and he took advice from the BBC's lawyers.
They had told him that if the pay-off deal was refused, Mr Entwistle could go to an industrial tribunal and would stand to win an extra £80,000 on top of the £450,000.
He said: "We did not have grounds for dismissal. We could either accept a consensual deal for 12 months, or the situation would drift on and we would find ourselves with a constructive dismissal (claim) and also an unfair dismissal."
Earlier, Lord Patten told the MPs the BBC must not "abandon or resign from investigative journalism" because of the mistakes made by Newsnight.
He said there was a need for a "belt and braces" approach to make sure such "shoddy journalism" was not repeated.
But he added: "The BBC must not abandon or resign from investigative journalism. It's important that your journalistic standards are even higher for investigative journalism."But he added: "The BBC must not abandon or resign from investigative journalism. It's important that your journalistic standards are even higher for investigative journalism."
'Bad editorial mistake'
The acting director general, Tim Davie, told the committee the BBC was not "falling apart" but said staff obviously had concerns and were "aghast at the failings" in the second Newsnight programme.The acting director general, Tim Davie, told the committee the BBC was not "falling apart" but said staff obviously had concerns and were "aghast at the failings" in the second Newsnight programme.
He said: "It was a bad editorial mistake and there will be consequences".He said: "It was a bad editorial mistake and there will be consequences".
Lord Patten said the BBC and its licence fee-payers would have to "bear the costs" of the internal Pollard Review, which he is expecting to be completed by Christmas, which is examining the shelved report into allegations of child abuse by Savile. Lord Patten said the BBC and its licence fee-payers would have to bear the costs of the internal Pollard Review, which he is expecting to be completed by Christmas, which is examining the shelved report into allegations of child abuse by Savile.
At one point Lord Patten had a testy exchange with Philip Davies, a Conservative MP, who asked if he was seen by some BBC executives as a "patsy". During a testy exchange with Philip Davies, a Conservative MP, Lord Patten was asked if he was seen by some BBC executives as a "patsy".
Mr Davies questioned him about the former director general Mark Thompson, and what he knew about the decision to shelve the Savile investigation, to which Lord Patten said he was waiting for the outcome of the Pollard Review. Lord Patten was also asked by Ben Bradshaw, a Labour MP and former BBC journalist, if the governance of the corporation meant it was unable to "manage a crisis" - to which he replied "no".
Mr Davies asked him: "So is your opinion going to be the same as Pollard's?"
Lord Patten replied: "No. But it will be coloured by what Pollard says."
Lord Patten was also asked by Ben Bradshaw, a Labour MP and former BBC journalist, if the governance of the corporation meant it was unable to "manage a crisis".
He replied: "No. I honestly don't think that what happened in this case would have been affected whatever the governance. This was a terrible journalistic failure and the easiest thing is for someone to reach for governance."
Lord Patten pointed out that the corporation's last major journalistic crisis - the events leading to the death of Dr David Kelly and the Hutton Inquiry - had led to a change in governance.
He was asked how many days each week he spent at the BBC and he joked: "At the moment about eight."He was asked how many days each week he spent at the BBC and he joked: "At the moment about eight."
But he then referred to a Freedom of Information request made by blogger Guido Fawkes which, he said, showed he had spent around three days a week at the BBC earlier in the year, before the crisis blew up.But he then referred to a Freedom of Information request made by blogger Guido Fawkes which, he said, showed he had spent around three days a week at the BBC earlier in the year, before the crisis blew up.
Lord Patten is also expected to be asked about the decision to give a £450,000 pay-off to Mr Entwistle, who had been in the job for just 54 days.
'Lack of curiosity''Lack of curiosity'
The BBC has been mired in controversy since October - on 2 October, Newsnight editor Peter Rippon blogged about why an investigation into sex abuse allegations involving former BBC DJ and television presenter Savile had been shelved in December 2011.The BBC has been mired in controversy since October - on 2 October, Newsnight editor Peter Rippon blogged about why an investigation into sex abuse allegations involving former BBC DJ and television presenter Savile had been shelved in December 2011.
The following day ITV aired a documentary which included serious allegations about the presenter, who died in October 2011.The following day ITV aired a documentary which included serious allegations about the presenter, who died in October 2011.
This led to a stream of allegations about Savile's behaviour during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, when he was a household name in Britain as the presenter of the BBC's Jim'll Fix It.This led to a stream of allegations about Savile's behaviour during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, when he was a household name in Britain as the presenter of the BBC's Jim'll Fix It.
The BBC subsequently announced two inquiries - one into the shelved Newsnight progamme, and one into the culture of the BBC during the years Savile worked there. The BBC subsequently announced two inquiries - the Pollard review into the shelved Newsnight progamme, and one into the culture of the BBC during the years Savile worked there.
A third review was later announced, looking at wider allegations of sexual harassment at the corporation.A third review was later announced, looking at wider allegations of sexual harassment at the corporation.
On 23 October Mr Entwistle told the Culture, Media and Sport committee that the Newsnight investigation should not have been dropped.
He was accused of a "lack of curiosity" after explaining why he did not ask director of BBC News Helen Boaden for further details on the Savile story when she mentioned it to him.
On 2 November, Newsnight aired a programme in which Steve Messham, a former resident of the Bryn Estyn children's home in Wrexham, claimed he had been abused by an unnamed senior politician of the Thatcher era at the home.On 2 November, Newsnight aired a programme in which Steve Messham, a former resident of the Bryn Estyn children's home in Wrexham, claimed he had been abused by an unnamed senior politician of the Thatcher era at the home.
It subsequently emerged that he had wrongly identified to Newsnight the former Conservative Party treasurer, Lord McAlpine, as being one of his abusers.It subsequently emerged that he had wrongly identified to Newsnight the former Conservative Party treasurer, Lord McAlpine, as being one of his abusers.
Although Lord McAlpine was not named in the programme, his name emerged on the internet and he then came out in public to angrily deny being involved.Although Lord McAlpine was not named in the programme, his name emerged on the internet and he then came out in public to angrily deny being involved.
A BBC inquiry later said some of the basic journalistic checks had not been completed; identification was not confirmed by photograph with Mr Messham, and no right of reply was offered to Lord McAlpine.A BBC inquiry later said some of the basic journalistic checks had not been completed; identification was not confirmed by photograph with Mr Messham, and no right of reply was offered to Lord McAlpine.
Mr Entwistle resigned on 11 November, a day after an nterview with the Today programme's John Humphrys, in which said he had not seen the Newsnight report until after it had been broadcast.Mr Entwistle resigned on 11 November, a day after an nterview with the Today programme's John Humphrys, in which said he had not seen the Newsnight report until after it had been broadcast.
He also said that he had not seen tweets prior to the Newsnight report which flagged up its content, nor a front page newspaper article on Friday which said the story was based on mistaken identity.He also said that he had not seen tweets prior to the Newsnight report which flagged up its content, nor a front page newspaper article on Friday which said the story was based on mistaken identity.
On Monday, Lord Patten defended Mr Entwistle's reputation - saying he had been unfairly "trashed" - and hinted he himself would seek a second term as chairman of the BBC Trust.
Last week Tony Hall, a former BBC news executive who spent the last decade running the Royal Opera House, agreed to become the next director general early next year.Last week Tony Hall, a former BBC news executive who spent the last decade running the Royal Opera House, agreed to become the next director general early next year.