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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." |
Lord Patten said Mr Entwistle and his lawyers insisted he would not go unless he was paid a full 12 months' salary. | |
Lord Patten said there had been feverish negotiation on 11 November and he took advice from the BBC's lawyers. | Lord Patten said there had been feverish negotiation on 11 November and he took advice from the BBC's lawyers. |
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. | 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." | 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." |
He also said that if Mr Entwistle was found to have done anything in breach of his contract, "we can claw back some of the remunerations that has been paid". | |
'Decent man' | |
Referring to Mr Entwistle, Lord Patten said he refused to "trash a decent man" who had been "overwhelmed" by events. | Referring to Mr Entwistle, Lord Patten said he refused to "trash a decent man" who had been "overwhelmed" by events. |
He added that he "wondered by the end of it how much his heart was in it. I think he found the whole thing an appalling experience". | |
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." |
Some of the other key exchanges included: | Some of the other key exchanges included: |
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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. |
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 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. And the BBC paid £185,000 in libel damages to the peer. | |
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. | 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. | 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 because we have shot ourselves in the foot. We have to rebuild that trust." | |
For his part, Mr Davie said the BBC needed to be more transparent and "slightly more humble". |