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| MP questions police-media links over Sir Cliff Richard search | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An MP has raised concern about the relationship between the police and the media after a BBC report on a police search of Sir Cliff Richard's home. | |
| Former policing minister Nick Herbert said there were "serious questions to answer" about how the BBC knew of the operation in advance. | |
| The search last Thursday related to an alleged historical sex offence in Sheffield, which the singer denies. | The search last Thursday related to an alleged historical sex offence in Sheffield, which the singer denies. |
| The BBC has received 594 complaints on various issues relating to the report. | The BBC has received 594 complaints on various issues relating to the report. |
| BBC cameras and a reporter were outside the gates to Sir Cliff's property in Sunningdale, Berkshire when eight police officers arrived. | BBC cameras and a reporter were outside the gates to Sir Cliff's property in Sunningdale, Berkshire when eight police officers arrived. |
| South Yorkshire Police later said it was contacted some weeks ago by a BBC reporter "who made it clear he knew of the existence of an investigation" and "it was agreed that the reporter would be notified of the date of the house search in return for delaying publication of any of the facts". | South Yorkshire Police later said it was contacted some weeks ago by a BBC reporter "who made it clear he knew of the existence of an investigation" and "it was agreed that the reporter would be notified of the date of the house search in return for delaying publication of any of the facts". |
| The force has complained to the BBC director general and said the corporation appeared to have broken its own editorial guidelines. | The force has complained to the BBC director general and said the corporation appeared to have broken its own editorial guidelines. |
| A BBC spokesman said: "We followed normal journalistic practice and agreed not to publish a story that might jeopardise a police inquiry. | A BBC spokesman said: "We followed normal journalistic practice and agreed not to publish a story that might jeopardise a police inquiry. |
| "We applied normal editorial judgements and are satisfied with our coverage." | "We applied normal editorial judgements and are satisfied with our coverage." |
| Other complaints to the BBC were made up of: | Other complaints to the BBC were made up of: |
| Ofcom said it was collating figures regarding the complaints it had received. | Ofcom said it was collating figures regarding the complaints it had received. |
| Mr Herbert, the Conservative MP for Arundel and South Downs, said: "Clearly something went wrong. | Mr Herbert, the Conservative MP for Arundel and South Downs, said: "Clearly something went wrong. |
| "The code of practice on relationships with the media, which was issued after the Leveson Inquiry by the new College of Policing, is clear that suspects in the ordinary course of things should not be named prior to their charge, not even when they're arrested and Sir Cliff Richard was not even arrested. | "The code of practice on relationships with the media, which was issued after the Leveson Inquiry by the new College of Policing, is clear that suspects in the ordinary course of things should not be named prior to their charge, not even when they're arrested and Sir Cliff Richard was not even arrested. |
| "He was not even informed about this raid. There are serious questions to answer both on the part of the police about how this information got into the public domain, but also by the BBC for its editorial judgement in the way that it interacted with the police." | "He was not even informed about this raid. There are serious questions to answer both on the part of the police about how this information got into the public domain, but also by the BBC for its editorial judgement in the way that it interacted with the police." |
| Justice 'damaged' | Justice 'damaged' |
| The Leveson Inquiry was set up in July 2011 after it emerged journalists working for the now-closed News of the World had hacked into the mobile phone of murdered Surrey schoolgirl, Milly Dowler. | The Leveson Inquiry was set up in July 2011 after it emerged journalists working for the now-closed News of the World had hacked into the mobile phone of murdered Surrey schoolgirl, Milly Dowler. |
| The public, judge-led inquiry examined the culture, practice and ethics of the press and its relationships with police and politicians. | The public, judge-led inquiry examined the culture, practice and ethics of the press and its relationships with police and politicians. |
| Mr Herbert said "somebody" had tipped off the BBC and "it's difficult to believe that wasn't somebody who wasn't in some way connected with these investigations so it might have been another force". | Mr Herbert said "somebody" had tipped off the BBC and "it's difficult to believe that wasn't somebody who wasn't in some way connected with these investigations so it might have been another force". |
| If that person had provided the information for cash then that was corruption, Mr Herbert added, saying that South Yorkshire Police "could and should have told the BBC that they should not report this". | If that person had provided the information for cash then that was corruption, Mr Herbert added, saying that South Yorkshire Police "could and should have told the BBC that they should not report this". |
| "As Leveson says, this isn't just a matter of the way suspects are treated, it's also potentially damaging to the course of justice." | "As Leveson says, this isn't just a matter of the way suspects are treated, it's also potentially damaging to the course of justice." |
| The chairman of Parliament's Home Affairs select committee, Keith Vaz, has written to Chief Constable David Crompton and BBC boss Lord Hall to ask how the BBC knew of the raid in advance. | The chairman of Parliament's Home Affairs select committee, Keith Vaz, has written to Chief Constable David Crompton and BBC boss Lord Hall to ask how the BBC knew of the raid in advance. |
| And Ken Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, told the Times that South Yorkshire Police's liaison with the BBC was "quite inexcusable and unforgivable". | And Ken Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, told the Times that South Yorkshire Police's liaison with the BBC was "quite inexcusable and unforgivable". |
| Former home secretary Jack Straw told the newspaper that he "recoiled" at the "connivance of the police with the BBC" which he described as "grotesque". | Former home secretary Jack Straw told the newspaper that he "recoiled" at the "connivance of the police with the BBC" which he described as "grotesque". |