Radio 4 interviews fake Lib Dem MP

The BBC has apologised after Radio 4's World at One programme interviewed an impostor claiming to be Liberal Democrat MP Mike Crockart.

In the interview by presenter James Robbins, the fake "Mike Crockart" claimed that he would be prepared to resign over planned increases in tuition fees from the coalition government, The Guardian reports. The Evening Standard today also carried similar quotes from an impostor.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "The World at One today broadcast an interview about tuition fees with a person wrongly believed to be Liberal Democrat MP Michael Crockart, a junior member of the government.

"The error came about after a call to an incorrect number listed in the BBC's directory of MPs' contact details. The usual pre-broadcast questions were asked of the person concerned, who maintained throughout that he was Mr Crockart and appeared credible. Once the mistake was realised, steps were taken immediately to rectify the error and to ensure it was not repeated.

"A personal apology has been issued to Mr Crockart and a correction will be made on today's PM programme. We also apologise to our audiences for the error. The relevant part of the programme will be taken off iPlayer and other online platforms."

A Lib Dem insider reportedly told the newspaper: "We are absolutely clueless as to who it was. We figured it out when our head of media was talking to Mike on the phone and the fake Mike Crockart was on the World at One."

Earlier today on Radio 4, James Naughtie and Andrew Marr both dubbed the government's culture secretary "Jeremy C**t", rather than "Jeremy Hunt", in accidental slips.