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Updated 12.21
THE BBC HAS issued an unreserved apology to Lord McAlpine for a Newsnight report which led to him being wrongly implicated in the alleged sexual abuse of children at north Wales care homes.
A statement issued last night said, “On 2 November, Newsnight broadcast a report that looked into criticism of the North Wales Abuse Tribunal.
“The report included an interview with Steve Messham, an abuse victim who said that a senior political figure of the time had abused him.
“We broadcast Mr Messham’s claim but did not identify the individual concerned. Mr Messham has tonight made a statement that makes clear he wrongly identified his abuser and has apologised.
“We also apologise unreservedly for having broadcast this report.”
As a result of the false report, Newsnight investigations have been put on an “immediate pause”. A supervisor was also sent into last night’s programme, during which a copy of the apology was issued. Director Ken MacQuarrie has ordered a serious inquiry as to what happened.
Lord McAlpine called Steve Messham’s claims “wholly false and seriously defamatory”. His lawyer threatened legal action against any of those who named him after the Newsnight report and linked him to abuse allegations.
Messham also apologised to the former Tory treasurer. He explained that in the 1990′s he was shown a photograph by police of his abuser and was incorrectly told it was Lord McAlpine. It was only on Friday, when he was shown a different photo, did he realise it was not the accused. By that point, McAlpine’s name had already been floated on Twitter.
Although BBC director general George Entwistle said the programme should not have aired, he noted the film itself did not make a named allegation.
“It’s no kind of excuse or exoneration,” he added. The show had repeated the claims against a 1980s politicians but did not name him. Twitter users did.
The editor-in-chief said he was not aware of the programme until after it was broadcast.
“We should not have put out a film that was so fundamentally wrong,” he told BBC’s Radio 4. “What happened here is so totally unacceptable. In my view the film should not have gone out.”
He has asked for MacQuarrie’s report to be submitted tomorrow.
“This was a piece of journalism referred to senior figures within News, referred up to the level of the management board and had appropriate attention from the lawyers,” Entwistle said.
“The question is, in spite of all that, why did it go wrong? Something definitely went wrong, something definitely and clearly and unambiguously went wrong.”
Meanwhile, the BBC Trust said it expects appropriate action to be taken.
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Save the planet, reduce carbon emissions…fly on private jet with a few mates??? someone lives in cloud cuckoo land.
Was just thinking the same thing! What a deluded egotistical nutjob
I think you are confusing Bono with Sting or Michael Stipe.
Bono is in Berlin for the Bambi awards
Says it all
George Orwell’s Animal Farm comes to mind.
They should have made a bolt for it.
I usually leave the ill informed to their to the pleasure of their own brains but sometimes I can’t help but comment. Bono doesn’t pedal the man made climate change nonsense but his actions over the past decades have without doubt saved the lives of 1000′s and maybe millions of those who know what real problems are. Usually its those who make the least contribution that criticise the most. When any of us have made a similar personal effort to help the less well off as Bono has then we can speak from a position of credability. Until then don’t let me stop u making a fool of your selves.
Here here James.
Well said James but you are wasting your time here. Most commentators on the Journal spend a large part of their time trying to kick others off what they perceive to be a pedestal. If your head appears to be a bit elevated above the mob expect to be decapitated.
Come on James were irish we like to begrudge anyone with success.
The pilot heard he was been given a free signed copy of the album and his blood created that much pressure it blew the door off
Well said James. At least he’s off to do something other than selfie himself all over Berlin via Ryanair with everyone else #pointlessness
A witness reports that just before the plane lost a hatch they heard a Rattle and Hum.
They think the know what the cause was but they still haven’t found what they are looking for
They
Lucky they weren’t at a high el e va tion
it was a beautiful day for a skydive
Hopefully he didn’t get vertigo in mid air.
Did the Electrical Storm have anything to do with it?
The German authorities are making Bono find the debris wherever it fell and clean it up – after all, you can’t leave behind litter in Germany.
Bono’s one lucky mofo to survive that.
Pilot – “Hewson, we have a problem.”
Bono in a private plane? Surely not. Isn’t he saving the world and promoting environmentally friendly attitudes in the rest of us?
He’d have sold a lot more music if it went down or his missus would just some thing he might consider.
And paying his taxes.
Unless Bono was attached to the door ,
Then I couldn’t give a single Fook. .
They why read or comment on it
He comments on everything, you should know that by now…
Did they find what they were looking for?
The edge was taken off this story
On the way to berlin – Achtung Baby !
So it didn’t loose elevation.
Yes luckily they didn’t lose height when the compartment became loose
A true first world problem!
Early technical analysis suggests that the door flew off as a result of Bono’s head swelling to 1000 times it’s normal size after hearing that he was nominated for a person of the year award.
So they were able to fly safely with or without it?
Dave Fanning is getting an exclusive first play of the flight recorder!
Dave who?
Pity bono wasnt lost from it too!
Andy are u proud of that comment? Do you think your parents reared you with the intention of developing such a mindset. I doubt the 1000′s of lives he helped save over the decades would agree with ur sentiments
Yes Andy would rather a human being was killed. What a prat.
Human being…where?
Wow – well you just can’t beat the Irish for really begrudging their own
aiuri,ton, couldn’t agree more. We are a shower of moaners and begrudgers.
There was a Discotechnical problem
Can’t stand him but I’m glad nobody was injured.
Can someone please show Bono the door
Headline was very misleading! It should of said “missed opportunity to get rid of captain sanctimonious”
Poxbottle..
The singer was never in any danger , don’t worry about the mere mortals wandering about there daily chores , Bono just been Bono with his version of a European bail out .
Was Tom Dunne on the original list of passengers ?
They stuck his big head in the gap to plug the hole
Bono is a POX!!
I get the feeling ye are not too keen on Bono, yet ye all taking the piss with the bands songs. And what is a pox??
Poor ould Bono. Must have been flying a bit close to the edge
There’s no plane in the world that would crash with Banjos over inflated ego on it, by the way I used to be a fan untill he start backing the currupt corp taxation in this country!!!
karma
Apparently his swelled head dislodged the door but also saved him as it was to big to be sucked out the resulting gap …….all bad news these days
McPhisto flies again!
Dammit… I failed again
Did he land the plane while taking the place of the door?
Did the door rattle and hum? Did it move in mysterious ways?
have your say