Lord Patten admits he would have spoken to BBC trustees about firing George Entwistle had he not resigned
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has admitted that the BBC was considering firing departed director general George Entwistle, while an investigation into the broadcast of the culpable Newsnight report has said that a single management structure is needed within the editorial department.
In a letter to John Whittingdale, Patten said that had Entwistle not made his ‘honourable’ offer to resign he would have spoken to the trustees “about the option of termination by us.”
This comes in the light of a payment of £450,000 – a full year’s wage - being paid to Entwistle as a result of his resignation.
Meanwhile, the review into the recent Newsnight broadcast that ended up costing the BBC’s director general his job has concluded that a single management structure is needed within editorial department.
Ken MacQuarrie, director of BBC Scotland has handed his report to acting director general Tim Davie, having investigated last week’s report from Newsnight which wrongly identified Lord McAlpine as being involved in a child sex ring in North Wales in the eighties.
McAlpine is now understood to be ready to sue all of those who have defamed his as a result of the misreporting, including those who identified him through Twitter.
Earlier today, BBC head of News Helen Boaden also resigned as a result of the internal review. Fran Unsworth has taken on the role as director of news, while Ceri Thomas will become deputy director following Stephen Mitchell’s resignation also.
MacQuarrie’s results from the investigation included the finding that the BBC must “address the lack of clarity around the editorial chain of command,” adding that a decision had been taken to “re-establish a single management to deal with all output”, whether they related to the investigation in Jimmy Savile or not.
Karen O’Connor has become acting editor of Newsnight, while disciplinary action is expected to be taken, with “consideration being given” to those accountable for the report.
During an interview this afternoon on Sky News, Tim Davies apparently stormed outalthough the BBC has denied this, claiming it was a 'misunderstanding'.