Double standards?

So in the backwash from the Savile business it seems anybody is fair game provided they're dead.  Recent accusations have been made naming Leonard Rossiter and Derek McCulloch (Uncle Mac of the radio "Children's Hour" programmes of my childhood), who of course are in no position to answer back, but the BBC's Newsnight programme earlier this week was careful not to go further than talking about "a senior Conservative politician".  Why?  Because he's still alive and might sue for defamation.  You either have the evidence, in which case you should put up or shut up, or you haven't in which case you should just shut up!