BBC Wales apologises for minister slur
Friday, December 24 2010,
The BBC issued an apology yesterday after saying that Welsh transport minister Ieuan Wyn Jones "gave the finger" to a passerby who quizzed him about the Christmas travel chaos.
During a phone-in on BBC Radio Wales, a listener sent in a text claiming that Jones - the deputy first minister and leader of Plaid Cymru - made the rude gesture close to the National Assembly building in Cardiff Bay.
The message, read out by presenter Jason Mohammad, said: "I've just seen Ieuan Wyn Jones skating down the street eating a flaky pasty. I asked him to a get a grip of the roads and he gave me the finger."
However, Plaid Cymru said that Jones was in his constituency some 200 miles away from Cardiff Bay at the time he was allegedly spotted.
In response, a BBC Wales spokeswoman said: "The BBC Radio Wales phone-in is a live programme and, as with any live programmes, mistakes sometimes happen. In this instance we apologised promptly."
A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "The BBC have recognised there were a number of failings in their show and have promptly apologised. We have accepted that apology."
Friday, December 24 2010,
The BBC issued an apology yesterday after saying that Welsh transport minister Ieuan Wyn Jones "gave the finger" to a passerby who quizzed him about the Christmas travel chaos.
During a phone-in on BBC Radio Wales, a listener sent in a text claiming that Jones - the deputy first minister and leader of Plaid Cymru - made the rude gesture close to the National Assembly building in Cardiff Bay.
The message, read out by presenter Jason Mohammad, said: "I've just seen Ieuan Wyn Jones skating down the street eating a flaky pasty. I asked him to a get a grip of the roads and he gave me the finger."
However, Plaid Cymru said that Jones was in his constituency some 200 miles away from Cardiff Bay at the time he was allegedly spotted.
In response, a BBC Wales spokeswoman said: "The BBC Radio Wales phone-in is a live programme and, as with any live programmes, mistakes sometimes happen. In this instance we apologised promptly."
A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "The BBC have recognised there were a number of failings in their show and have promptly apologised. We have accepted that apology."