Chris Patten - tick tock, tick tock - Is his time as Chairman of the BBC Trust running out?

1. Last week The Mail revealed that:

'John Bercow has criticised BBC chairman Lord Patten for refusing to be grilled by MPs about the broadcaster’s coverage of Europe.

The Commons Speaker insisted no one should consider themselves above parliamentary inspection, as he attacked Lord Patten’s refusal to answer questions from the European Scrutiny Committee.

MPs are furious that the Tory peer – and former European Commissioner – has three times turned down their request to discuss the subject of bias in the BBC’s coverage of the EU. Because he is a peer, Lord Patten cannot be forced to attend.'

Remember that like Peter Mandelson, Neil Kinnock, Leom Brittan and other ex-EU Commissioners, the payment of EU pensions is dependant on the understanding that the EU can remove this pension, if in the view of the Commission or the Luxembourg Court, they "fail to uphold the interests of the European Communities".


2. Today The Telegraph reports that:

'Lord Patten, the chairman of the BBC Trust, has warned a Conservative MP that he risks legal action if he publishes evidence calling into question the corporation's handling of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Robert Wilson, Tory MP for Reading East, has obtained an audio recording in which the author of an independent inquiry into the scandal at the BBC reportedly undermines his own findings.

He is planning to publish the audio recording today but Lord Patten has written to him warning that he should be "weighing up the legal liabilities that might arise".

Mr Wilson accused Lord Patten of "Soviet-era behaviour" and said he was "dangerously out of touch".

Mr Wilson said: "Lord Patten’s threat to a democratically-elected Member of Parliament is almost reminiscent of something from the Soviet-era. It is chilling behaviour from the so-called public “guardian” of this country’s dominant state broadcaster.

"Lord Patten is in danger of showing contempt for the House of Commons and this country’s elected representatives. As an unelected public official in what should be an important job, he is dangerously out of touch.” '

3. Today Guido Fawkes has a headline 'BBC Bombshell Coming' and a picture of Chris Patten...

Is it bye bye Patten time? If so who will be the next Chairman of the BBC Trust and will he be any less of a Europhile? Any less anti-Israel? Any ideas?


UPDATE: Unfortunately the BBC Bombshell wasn't news that Chris Patten was resigning, Guido Fawkes has instead published the audio mentioned in 2. above.