• Editor of the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Iain Overton, makes claim on Twitter
  • The tweet prompts furious speculation online about the identity of the alleged paedophile, who is still alive
  • Channel Four's Michael Crick claims he has spoken to the man, who denies allegations and will sue if Newsnight shows investigation
PUBLISHED: 12:35, 2 November 2012 | UPDATED: 15:48, 2 November 2012

A 'senior political figure' may be outed as a paedophile on Newsnight this evening, it has emerged.
The investigation about the unnamed man, who is alive, is currently being looked at by the BBC's legal team, who refused to comment on the story today.
It was revealed by the editor of the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Iain Overton, in a mysterious tweet.
Explosive: Editor of the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Iain Overton, revealed the scoop online
Explosive: Editor of the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Iain Overton, revealed the scoop online
Scoop: Newsnight, presented by Jeremy Paxman, could reveal the man's identity this evening, but the BBC has so far refused to comment
Scoop: Newsnight, presented by Jeremy Paxman, could reveal the man's identity this evening, but the BBC has so far refused to comment
Tweets: Channel Four political correspondent Michael Crick says he has spoken to the man at the centre of the allegations, who has denied he is a paedophile and said that he will sue if Newsnight go ahead with the film
Tweets: Channel Four political correspondent Michael Crick says he has spoken to the man at the centre of the allegations, who has denied he is a paedophile and said that he will sue if Newsnight go ahead with the film
He wrote: 'If all goes well we've got a Newsnight out tonight about a very senior political figure who is a paedophile.'
The bureau he runs is a not-for-profit organisation which works with news outlets to publish in-depth investigations. It says it has been working on this project for the BBC.

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Channel Four political correspondent Michael Crick says he has spoken to the man at the centre of the allegations, who denied that he was a paedophile and said he would sue if Newsnight broadcasts anything on him tonight.
Claims: Iain Overton says that subject to BBC legal approval then their investigation will be shown on BBC 2 tonight
Claims: Iain Overton says that subject to BBC legal approval then their investigation will be shown on BBC 2 tonight
He also added that the man said he had not been approached for a comment by the BBC, despite it being earmarked for tonight's Newsnight.
Claims: Tom Watson told the Commons last month that there No.10 and paedophile
Claims: Tom Watson told the Commons last week that there was a link between No.10 and paedophile
The Metropolitan Police have told MailOnline they have not been handed anything on the subject of the investigation. 
The BBC has faced a barrage of criticism for scrapping a Newsnight programme detailing the sexual abuse of Sir Jimmy Savile.
It took a ITV documentary to reveal the DJ had carried out decades of abuse involving hundreds of victims, some of who were raped on BBC premises.
It emerged that Newsnight had carried out its own investigation - including an interview with the same victim - nearly a year before.
A team spent six weeks probing allegations that the presenter abused pupils at a school in Surrey, speaking to at least four women who claimed they had been assaulted or knew about events.
The report was shelved at the last minute at the request of the programme's editor Peter Rippon. It was not until this week that the BBC aired its own investigation into the scandal, on Panorama.
It covered both Savile's crimes and the Corporation's reaction. Mr Rippon stood aside from his role at Newsnight after the BBC said his explanation for shelving the story was 'inaccurate or incomplete'.
The corporation's director general George Entwistle was hauled before a select committee last week to explain why and how it happened.
He denied that the broadcaster helped cover up allegations that Savile preyed on women.
The row comes after Labour MP Tom Watson shocked the Commons last month by alleging there was ‘clear intelligence’ linking a former Number 10 aide with a notorious group of sex offenders.
He has compiled a dossier allegations for the Metropolitan Police, which is currently dealing with hundreds of allegations of abuse against Jimmy Savile.
But it is unclear if this is linked to the Newsnight investigation. 
Savile
Savile is now believed to have been one of the UK's most prolific abusers, with about 300 possible victims but the BBC faces questions about whether they helped cover-up his sexual crimes
Mr Watson suggested a Number 10 insider was named in files connected to the conviction of a child porn smuggler in the early 1990s.
He told the Commons: ‘The evidence used to convict paedophile Peter Righton, if it still exists, contains clear intelligence of a widespread paedophile ring.
‘One of its members boasts of his links to a senior aide of a former prime minister who says he could smuggle indecent images of children from abroad. 
‘The leads were not followed up, but if the file still exists I want to ensure that the Metropolitan Police secure the evidence, re-examine it and investigate clear intelligence suggesting a powerful paedophile network linked to Parliament and No 10.’
Mr Cameron said Mr Watson ‘raises a very difficult and complex case’ and he was ‘not entirely sure which former prime minister he is referring to’.