Thompson bites back at MPs

It may have been snowing outside but there were some heated exchanges at yesterday's public accounts select committee on BBC events spending. BBC boss Mark Thompson came in for a severe grilling from the Labour MP for Streatham, Keith Hill, over why the National Audit Office should not audit the corporation's accounts. After the Streatham terrier had finished with Thommo, the BBC big cheese was then asked by Tory Douglas Carswell, the MP for Harwich and Clacton, for a list of politicians and regulators who have been guests of the Beeb at events such as the Proms and Wimbledon. Hill interjected: "I've never been a guest of the BBC." "That was clearly where we went wrong," muttered Thommo.