Troubles at the BBC simply go from bad to worse, if that's actually possible.
Following the resignation of the DG, George Entwistle, 2 more senior managers, Helen Boden and Stephen Mitchell, have 'stepped aside' whatever that may mean. Hot on the heels of this news comes the revelation that Entwistle, after 54 days in his post, will leave with a golden handshake of a year's full salary, the small matter of £450,000. Presumably this is the result of an agreement approved of by the Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord (Chris) Patten. His contractual entitlement has been said to have been for 6 months salary, so why he should now be given a full year's is a mystery.
How anyone can be entitled to 6 month's salary, let alone a year's, after such a short time in post has yet to be explained. Given that the man's resignation was, effectively, a consequence of his total incompetence, I can think of no explanation that would justify the decision. If he does, indeed, take this licence payers' money with him, it will be nothing less than a scandal.
Having overseen this appalling mess and having contributed to it with his approval of Entwistle's pay-off, Lord patten's position must now be in serious doubt if not wholly untenable. The word seems to be that there will be further resignations from the BBC's senior management in the coming weeks and months; Lord Patten should undoubtedly be one of them.
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