Persistence wins for Paxman

London - A BBC journalist who asked a senior cabinet minister the same question 14 times - and still failed to get a straight…

London - A BBC journalist who asked a senior cabinet minister the same question 14 times - and still failed to get a straight answer - has been given a top award.

The Royal Television Society presented Jeremy Paxman with an award for interview of the year. Paxmanasked the then Home Secretary, Mr Michael Howard, 14 times if he had stepped in over prisons chief Mr Derek Lewis. Mr Howard repeatedly avoided a direct answer.