Fumbling

Another very messy day. New Culture Secretary, freshly power-dressed Maria Miller stumbles through the early part of her Commons statement on Savile, and talks about a Newsnight report that was "inappropriately pulled".  What on earth was written down in front of her ? DCMS spinners claim it was a "mispeak" - for what ? Very few words I can find sound or look like "inappropriate".

Meanwhile 50 per cent of reporters mishear Harriet Harman talking about Savile's previously "exalted celebrity status", and write it down as "exulted", which makes no sense at all. Harriet backs Maria on the three "independent" inquiries planned by the BBC - but then Ed Miliband decides to showboat on Tom Bradby's ITV chat show, and calls for another "independent inquiry".

Elsewhere Kevin Marsh's blog of support for beleaguered Newsnight editor Peter Rippon is greeted and re-tweeted with joy by BBC press officers - despite the fact that it also suggests that new DG George is at risk in all this. It also produces an interesting reaction from Newsnight reporter Liz McKean, who says "Kevin I could wish you'd talked to me too - you might reconsider some of the remarks in your blog :)"  Kevin is apparently on the case...

And in the middle, George Entwistle decides it's right to "offer himself" to the DCMS Select Committee next week, which can only be an act of extreme masochism. A relentless straight bat on the remit of the inquiries and the probity of their leaders is not going to sate the appetites of the Tories who want raw red meat.

Who to lead the Newsnight inquiry ?  Not a job anyone would fancy. Prof Ian Hargreaves? Stuart Prebble?  Tim Gardam?