The Sun’s editor has been asked to update MPs on internal inquiries into Huw Edwards and Dan Wootton, as the tabloid faces scrutiny over its reporting standards and internal culture.
Victoria Newton has been asked to provide the House of Commons culture select committee with an explanation of how the Sun verifies stories, following questions over its reporting on Edwards.
Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper initially suggested the BBC newsreader had paid a 17-year-old for explicit images, which is a criminal offence. Once Edwards had been suspended by the BBC, the Sun rowed back on its suggestion that any illegal behaviour took place and blamed other news outlets for suggesting criminal acts had occurred.
The individual at the heart of the allegations, now aged 20, said they told the Sun before publication that the story was “rubbish” and blamed their parents for going to the newspaper. The Guardian has also reported that, according to sources, the parents were offered tens of thousands of pounds for an interview with the Sun’s sister television station TalkTV, which has been recorded but not aired.
Caroline Dinenage, the chair of the culture select committee, asked Newton how she weighed up “issues of privacy” when choosing whether to run stories, such as the claim against Edwards.
She said: “Given the concerns that have been reported about inaccuracies, changing narratives and lack of engagement with some of the parties involved in the case of Mr Edwards, we would also be interested to understand what was done to verify this specific story and what, if any, reviews or discussions are ongoing about the Sun’s procedures and reporting in this case and any wider lessons to be learned.”
Edwards, who is still being investigated by the BBC amid claims he sent inappropriate messages to young members of staff, checked into a hospital earlier this month for mental health issues. His family is being advised by the former Murdoch executive Andy Coulson.
Newton has also been asked to provide MPs with details of an internal investigation into claims the former Sun journalist Wootton used the pseudonym Martin Branning to offer tens of thousands of pounds to colleagues in return for explicit images.
Dinenage said: “Since this story was reported, allegations have been made about a former employee of the Sun, Dan Wootton, who has been reported as being involved in payments for sexual material. We would be grateful if you could set out what investigations are taking place into this matter. I’m sure you will recognise how important it is for the public to have confidence in a newspaper’s editorial standards, not only on this particular case but across all its reporting.”
Wootton has retained his nightly show at the rightwing channel GB News, where he has blamed “dark forces” for trying to bring him down. But his lucrative twice-weekly column at MailOnline has not appeared since allegations against him were first made by an ex-boyfriend and Byline Times. The company previously said it was looking into claims against the presenter.
Asked if Wootton was still being paid by MailOnline, a spokesperson told the Guardian “there isn’t any update” before terminating the call.