The BBC is proposing to release emails, text messages and "off-the-record conversations" between its reporters and South Yorkshire Police regarding the search of Sir Cliff Richard's home.
SY Police, who are facing severe criticism over its failure to act over the Rotherham child sex abuse scandal are now facing the possibility of another storm of complaints about the way it handled the investigation of Sir Cliff Richard, specifically, the bringing in of BBC to video the raid on Sir Cliff's home. Is it possible that SYP wanted to be seen to suddenly be intolerant of child sex crimes? Perhaps this police force needs a serious makeover.
Confidential conversations about the raid on Sir Cliff Richard's home between the BBC and police could be made public, under a proposal being made by the corporation.
James Harding, director of news and current affairs at the BBC, has written to South Yorkshire Police asking for permission to release emails, text messages and "off-the-record conversations" between the two organisations.
Mr Harding made the request, sent to the force's chief constable David Crompton, because of anger at the BBC over complaints Mr Crompton made about its coverage of the raid, The Independent reported.
The police chief lodged an official complaint with the BBC over the publication of an article on its website alleging that South Yorkshire Police made "a deliberate attempt to ensure maximum coverage" of the search.
Mr Crompton said that the BBC - which used a helicopter to film officers arriving at Sir Cliff's £3million Berkshire home - was trying to cover up its role in the raid.
The police chief also said in a letter to Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, that a BBC journalist had contacted South Yorkshire threatening to "publish a media report about the investigation at the earliest available opportunity".
Mr Harding and Mr Crompton are due to appear before the committee on Tuesday. That should be fun!
The pair are expected to trade accusation and counter-accusation, with the BBC and South Yorkshire Police both facing questions about their roles in the raid. Lawyers have questioned its legality while Nick Herbert, a former policing minister, said that police may have acted corruptly or breached ethical standards by giving the BBC advance notice of the search.
Sir Cliff denies assaulting an underage boy at a Christian rally, held by the American evangelist Billy Graham in Sheffield in 1985.
In a letter to Mr Crompton replying to his criticisms, Mr Harding is reported to have written: "Our general policy is that we do not reveal the content of off-the-record conversations that occur in the course of our journalism.
"We have so far upheld this position in relation to South Yorkshire Police. But I am prompted to write to you by the particular circumstances in which we now find ourselves. You have made a series of comments about the nature of your force’s engagement with the BBC in a letter to Keith Vaz."
He added: "In order that the BBC can answer the questions put by the Home Affairs Select Committee and address the points made in your letter, may we presume that we are free to divulge the nature of the discussions and exchanges that took place between the BBC and South Yorkshire Police?"
SY Police, who are facing severe criticism over its failure to act over the Rotherham child sex abuse scandal are now facing the possibility of another storm of complaints about the way it handled the investigation of Sir Cliff Richard, specifically, the bringing in of BBC to video the raid on Sir Cliff's home. Is it possible that SYP wanted to be seen to suddenly be intolerant of child sex crimes? Perhaps this police force needs a serious makeover.
Confidential conversations about the raid on Sir Cliff Richard's home between the BBC and police could be made public, under a proposal being made by the corporation.James Harding, director of news and current affairs at the BBC, has written to South Yorkshire Police asking for permission to release emails, text messages and "off-the-record conversations" between the two organisations.
Mr Harding made the request, sent to the force's chief constable David Crompton, because of anger at the BBC over complaints Mr Crompton made about its coverage of the raid, The Independent reported.
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| Chief Constable David Crompton South Yorkshire Police |
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| James Harding - BBC Director of news and current affairs |
Mr Crompton said that the BBC - which used a helicopter to film officers arriving at Sir Cliff's £3million Berkshire home - was trying to cover up its role in the raid.
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| Police approaching Richard's home, from BBC helicopter |
Mr Harding and Mr Crompton are due to appear before the committee on Tuesday. That should be fun!
The pair are expected to trade accusation and counter-accusation, with the BBC and South Yorkshire Police both facing questions about their roles in the raid. Lawyers have questioned its legality while Nick Herbert, a former policing minister, said that police may have acted corruptly or breached ethical standards by giving the BBC advance notice of the search.
Sir Cliff denies assaulting an underage boy at a Christian rally, held by the American evangelist Billy Graham in Sheffield in 1985.
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| Charters Estate where Sir Cliff Richard has a penthouse suite |
"We have so far upheld this position in relation to South Yorkshire Police. But I am prompted to write to you by the particular circumstances in which we now find ourselves. You have made a series of comments about the nature of your force’s engagement with the BBC in a letter to Keith Vaz."
He added: "In order that the BBC can answer the questions put by the Home Affairs Select Committee and address the points made in your letter, may we presume that we are free to divulge the nature of the discussions and exchanges that took place between the BBC and South Yorkshire Police?"
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