The latest episode of Have I Got News For You has been removed from BBC iPlayer after host Victoria Coren Mitchell made a blunder
TV presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell has broken her silence following the removal of the latest episode of Have I Got News For You from BBC iPlayer after she made an error regarding Labour’s digital ID card proposals.
On Friday, 3 October, the Only Connect host presented the satirical show, featuring panellists Sheila Hancock, Miles Jupp, Ian Hislop, and Paul Merton.
During one segment, Victoria asked the teams who would benefit from Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to introduce the ID system, saying: “I was thinking of the company Multiverse, who has been chosen to run the digital ID cards scheme.”
She then mentioned that the company was founded by Tony Blair’s son Euan, joking: “That’s a happy coincidence, isn’t it?”.
However, claims that Multiverse would operate the government initiative have been debunked by fact-checking organisation FullFact, which states: “This isn’t true, according to both the government and Multiverse, which is an ‘upskilling company’, not a software developer.”
FullFact continued: “The government has not announced any partner for the project. It’s understood the government expects digital ID to be designed, built and run by an in-house team, not outsourced to external suppliers, although there has been some media speculation about whether the scheme may create opportunities for other tech firms.”
Victoria has now addressed the humiliating blunder in a brief online statement, saying: “Meanwhile, if you see a clip of me saying the ID card contract has gone to Tony Blair’s son: it hasn’t.”, reports the Mirror.
“That was something I was given to ask about last night, but turns out to be incorrect. Which is bad news for the fact checkers but good news for social mobility.”
The claim seems to have originated from viral social media posts, but FullFact states that there is “no evidence” linking Blair’s son or his company to the scheme, despite Tony Blair having publicly supported the idea previously.
The gaffe left viewers outraged, with one writing on social media: “Not just a throwaway quip but part of the script. Someone is getting a massive telling-off for this. (I bet it will be chopped out of the iPlayer edit too).”
Another agreed, posting: “Oh my god. Have I Got News For You just referred to this completely false claim as a fact!” while someone else fumed: “Absolutely astonished, Have I Got News For You just stated that Multiverse will be running the government’s digital ID scheme. An incredibly basic failure of fact-checking.”
In response, a BBC spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “This week’s Have I Got News For You contained an inaccurate story about Euan Blair’s company, Multiverse, being chosen to develop the government’s contract to produce digital ID cards.”
The BBC issued a statement, saying: “Multipverse is not a software developer, and there is no evidence of any involvement in the proposed digital ID scheme; therefore, we have taken the episode off BBC iPlayer while we edit the relevant section out. We apologise for this unintentional editorial oversight.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology added: “Claims that Multiverse has been chosen to develop the Government’s digital ID app are false. No decisions have been made on its delivery, but we expect it to be designed, built, and run by in-house Government teams – not outsourced to external suppliers.”
The spokesperson reiterated: “As we said last week, we will launch a public consultation to ensure we get the best possible input on the delivery and design of the scheme.”
Have I Got News For You is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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