The BBC have promised on several occasions that the two inquiries being held into the Jimmy Savile allegations will be comprehensive and independent. The role of gathering evidence for these two inquiries has been delegated to the international law firm Reed Smith, who will provide legal advice to the inquiry chairs and support them in reaching their conclusions. But Reed Smith are hardly the most objective of choices.

Reed Smith has previously defended the BBC in litigation cases on numerous occasions, indeed judging by their website they appear to consider the Beeb one of their major media clients. No less than six of their current lawyers have worked for the BBC in the past. Most interestingly of all, this year Reed Smith hosted a series of conferences entitled “Protecting the Media”.

Is it really appropriate for the law firm tasked with gathering evidence against the BBC to have such a flagrant vested interest? Why has the BBC appointed a company with experience in firefighting for the media to investigate the allegations made against it? Hardly allaying suspicions…