BBC 'wrong' over Redwood footage

The BBC has been forced to apologise to the Conservatives for a second time in a week after inappropriately using embarrassing footage of John Redwood.

 

On Sunday the corporation aired 14-year-old footage of Redwood mumbling along to the Welsh national anthem when he was Wales secretary.

 

Tories complained that the images were completely irrelevant to the content of the story - a report on Redwood's plans to cut bureaucracy by £14bn.

 

Director of news Helen Boaden said: "In retrospect we weren't right to use the footage again, which came from a long time ago."

 

On Wednesday the BBC was forced to apologise to Conservative London assembly member Brian Coleman over an appearance by Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq at an event alongside mayor Ken Livingstone.

 

The BBC presenter shared a platform with Livingstone as he delivered a strongly worded attack on the Tories' "pro-car" policies.

 

Livingstone said that there had been some "jokey banter" about a £10,000 car bill which he claimed had been racked up by Coleman.