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Lord Patten defends BBC pay-off to George Entwistle Lord Patten defends BBC pay-off to George Entwistle
(35 minutes later)
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.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.
Mr Entwistle, who had been in the job for just 54 days, resigned on 11 November after a row over Newsnight.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.
The programme had previously shelved a sex abuse investigation into BBC TV presenter and DJ 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 Mr Entwistle had asked him if the BBC Trust - the corporation's governing body - was "urging him to go".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 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. Lord Patten 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.
He said there had been feverish negotiation on 11 November and he took advice from the BBC's lawyers. Mr Entwistle also received £35,000 for legal expenses and £10,000 for public relations.
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. Lord Patten said there had been feverish negotiation on 11 November and he took advice from the BBC's lawyers.
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." 'Decent man'
He said they 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.
Lord Patten 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."
Referring to Mr Entwistle, Lord Patten said he refused to "trash a decent man" who had been "overwhelmed" by events.
Earlier, Lord Patten told the MPs the BBC must not "abandon or resign from investigative journalism" because of the mistakes made by Newsnight.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.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' Some of the other key exchanges included:
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.
  • Lord Patten was asked about Mr Entwistle's performance at the culture committee on 23 October and he said it was not the first time someone had been "monstered" by a select committee.
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  • 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.
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  • Mr Davie said: "It was a bad editorial mistake and there will be consequences".
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  • 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.
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  • The committee was told the Pollard Review had cost £200,000 in legal costs so far.
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  • 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 also asked him if the Pollard Review would answer the question of "who knew what when" and Lord Patten said: "Of course".
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  • Lord Patten also said he "did not buy the idea that the BBC is a hotbed of Trots(kyists)."
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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.
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".
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".
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.
'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 - 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Lord Patten said he was "greatly looking forward" to working with Lord Hall.
He said: "The biggest task we face is restoring trust. Trust in the BBC has taken a knock.
"The BBC is still trusted more than any news organisation but that is not a statement of complacency."