BBC Apology Over Child Sex Abuse Slur

The future of one of BBC's flagship news programmes is in doubt over a report which wrongly implicated former Tory Party treasurer Lord McAlpine in a child abuse scandal.

Newsnight made a unreserved apology on air last night after abuse victim Steve Messham admitted that the man who abused him as a teenager at a care home in north Wales was not Lord McAlpine.

The 70-year-old peer found himself at the centre of a storm of internet speculation after Mr Messham told the BBC2 programme he had been abused by a senior Conservative from the Thatcher era.

In a statement, the corporation said: "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."

Earlier, solicitors for Lord McAlpine indicated that they were preparing to sue for defamation, saying their client's reputation had been left in "tatters".

BBC director general George Entwistle moved quickly to try to limit the damage, appointing BBC Scotland director Ken MacQuarrie to produce a report into why basic errors were made.

BBC boss George Entwistle has ordered an urgent inquiry into the fiasco

There will also be a "pause" in all ongoing Newsnight investigations while the BBC is suspending all co-productions with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism which worked on the north Wales investigation.

Nevertheless, the disclosures come as another blow for the corporation which is still reeling from the Jimmy Savile scandal - including a decision to drop a Newsnight investigation exposing the late DJ as a child abuser.

Last night's edition of Newsnight, which went out under the supervision of a senior news executive, carried a full, on air apology for the broadcast on November 2.

Tory MP Rob Wilson, who was a fierce critic of the BBC over the Savile affair, questioned whether Newsnight could survive the latest fiasco.

He said Mr MacQuarrie needed to examine whether the programme on the Bryn Estyn children's home scandal had been an "over-compensation" for what happened over Savile or a "diversionary tactic" to draw attention away from the BBC.

"I want to have the information and evidence in front of me and take a considered view of whether Newsnight should continue or not," he said.

The programme had included an interview with Mr Messham who described how used to be taken from the children's home to a hotel near Wrexham to be abused by men, including one described as a former senior Conservative.

Lawyers say Lord McAlpine's reputation has been 'severely damaged'

Lord McAlpine yesterday finally broke cover to issue a vehement public denial of the "wholly false and seriously defamatory" claims against him.

In his statement, Lord McAlpine said he had visited Wrexham "only once", and that that had been in the company of an agent from Conservative Central Office. They visited a relative of Lord McAlpine's and did not stay overnight, he said.

"I have never been to the children's home in Wrexham, nor have I ever visited any children's home, reform school or any other institution of a similar nature," Lord McAlpine said.

"I have never stayed in a hotel in or near Wrexham, I did not own a Rolls-Royce, have never had a 'Gold card' or 'Harrods card' and never wear aftershave, all of which have been alleged.

"I did not sexually abuse Mr Messham or any other residents of the children's home in Wrexham."

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