BBC pulls programme on Ashcroft

The BBC was forced to pull an edition of its Panorama programme about the financial affairs of controversial Tory backer Lord Ashcroft just hours before it was broadcast.

A Panorama programme about Lord Ashcroft has been pulled by the BBC A Panorama programme about Lord Ashcroft has been pulled by the BBC [PA]

The show - meant to have gone out on Monday night - was withdrawn after receiving a response earlier in the day to a question about a share interest transfer, the broadcaster said.

The BBC said the answer "shed new light" on the issue and it would be reviewing the programme.

Billionaire Lord Ashcroft helped to finance the Conservative election campaign.

He was dragged into a tax row earlier this year after confirming he had "non-dom" status and had not been paying UK income tax on his worldwide earnings.

Earlier this month it emerged he would be standing down as the party's deputy chairman.

Monday night's Panorama was replaced with another edition about UK military justice.

A BBC spokesman said: "We put a number of questions to Lord Ashcroft two weeks ago, including one relating to a share interest transfer.

"We asked for a response by Friday September 24. In a response received (on Monday) afternoon we have been given information that sheds new light on that issue and we will therefore review the programme."

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