[Update] The News Corp scandal

Tessa Jowell MP and Lord Mandelson giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry today.

Looking forward to seeing if they can squeeze Mandelson enough to get some answers...

---------- Post added at 09:15 ---------- Previous post was at 09:14 ----------

I note Michel and Adam Smith are due on Friday...

---------- Post added at 10:18 ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 ----------

So it was Labours fault that we got Ofcom..a vacillating useless toothless organisation that has mostly failed to control Murdoch's empire building.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18144135

Lord Mandelson has denied there was a "Faustian pact" between Labour and Rupert Murdoch's News International before the 1997 general election.
He told the Leveson Inquiry that Tony Blair sought to "reassure" the Sun over issues such as Europe.
But he insisted there was no deal involving commercial concessions in return for support from the newspapers.

An admission

But he went on: "It is also arguably the case, however, that personal relationships between Mr Blair, Mr Brown and Rupert Murdoch became closer than was wise in view of the adverse inference drawn from the number of meetings and contacts they had.

and the sting in the tail
"

The same, I am sure, can be said for Mr Cameron and, no doubt, his predecessors."

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Tom Watson,the MP who has pursued the phone hacking scandals for some time and kept it in the public arena is a witness tomorrow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18151789

MPs have referred three ex-News International executives to the Commons standards committee over claims they misled Parliament, which they deny.
Former News of the World Editor Colin Myler, former legal manager Tom Crone and former chairman Les Hinton were criticised in the Commons Culture Committee's report into phone hacking.
Its chair John Whittingdale said the allegations were "extremely serious".

The Commons has the authority to ask non-members to appear in person to be admonished by the Speaker, in a procedure known as being summoned to the bar of the Commons.
This power has not been used since the 1950s.

At least the US do this bit right by insisting that they answer questions under oath.Sometimes I think Parliament has become too much of a gentleman's club instead of the highest authority in the land.

a link to the recorded debate.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/...00/9722602.stm

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/wo...nt&tntemail1=y

A BBC journalist said Wednesday that the former tabloid newspaper editor Piers Morgan showed him how to hack into phones 10 years ago.

I think Jeremy Paxman enjoyed that.

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Frederic Michel(News Corp) and Adam Smith(Hunt's special adviser) to appear at the Leveson Inquiry today..

[muppetman11]

How much is this debacle costing us as taxpayers ?

[devilincarnate]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM?

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt sent a memo to David Cameron suggesting his support for News Corp's bid for BSkyB before he was put in charge of the bid, the Leveson Inquiry heard.

Mr Hunt said the UK's media sector "would suffer for years" if the deal was blocked, according to a memo.

This was sent to Mr Hunt's ex-special adviser Adam Smith on 19 November 2010 before it went to Mr Cameron.

Number 10 said the memo was "entirely consistent" with Mr Hunt's public view.

Downing Street confirmed the prime minister received the memo, and that Mr Hunt had said in a previous newspaper interview there were no plurality grounds for blocking the deal.

In the memo the culture secretary warned James Murdoch was "furious" about Business Secretary Vince Cable's handling of the BSkyB bid.

The document expressed concerns that referring the bid to Ofcom could leave the government "on the wrong side of media policy".

The government has suggested the string of emails previously published by the inquiry showed Mr Michel had exaggerated the extent of his access to Mr Hunt's department.

But questioned by counsel to the inquiry, Robert Jay QC, Mr Michel denied he had "bigged up" the information Mr Smith gave him.

"I think my emails, as they were internal emails, were an accurate account of the conversations I have had," he said.

But after Mr Hunt was handed responsibility for the BSkyB bid in December 2010, the culture secretary said in a text message exchange that all business contact "now needs to be through official channels until decision made..."

On 3 March 3 2011, Mr Hunt told MPs he was minded to accept the BSkyB takeover after News Corp offered to spin off Sky News. In response to the lobbyist's text that he was "great at the Commons", Mr Hunt replied: "Merci. Large drink tonight!"

Mr Michel contacted Mr Hunt by text message later in March 2011 after his appearance on Andrew Marr's BBC programme to say he had been "very good". Mr Hunt replied: "Merci hopefully when consultation over we can have a coffee like the old days!"

When News Corp withdrew the BSkyB bid, Mr Hunt's response to a text from Mr Michel said "It has been the most challenging time for all of us... would be great to catch up when the dust has settled."

Mr Jay referred to an email in which Mr Michel called on the secretary of state, via Mr Smith, to "show some backbone" and dismiss Ofcom's calls for concessions.

Mr Michel told the inquiry: "It's my English - I might use words in a more melodramatic way than I intended."

Under earlier questioning, Mr Michel agreed Mr Hunt was "keeping an open mind" about the bid but when asked whether he had been supportive of it, he replied: "I can't say."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18187228

Or is it just me?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18197554

Downing Street confirmed the prime minister received the memo from Mr Hunt.
A spokesman said the views on the bid in the e-mail were "entirely consistent with his public statement" when he had said in a previous newspaper interview that there were no plurality grounds for blocking it.

I think they are missing the point...

[mertle]

indeed maggy

devilincarnate yep thinking with the brilliant way this been posted there both gooses are cooked.

When you see the text's in timeline to how the actions hunt acted in parliment we see very way that he was clearly batting and texting for news Corp.

Interesting when he started to wane in under pressure mitchel texted him to have more backbone.

For him to suggest it was mistake of english makes you laugh at his weak defence.

Its amazing how people cracking. You would thought murdocks with there wealth could employ steal of iron protection.

Clearly despite hunts second part of being impartial the first bit worrying to say the least.

Cameron just dumped cable then jumps to supporter. Not looking good on his judgement

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

How much is this debacle costing us as taxpayers ?

Debacle? I personally think it's rather important that we at least find out how "friendly" the Murdochs were with various members of various governments.

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Originally Posted by Maggy J

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/wo...nt&tntemail1=y

I think Jeremy Paxman enjoyed that.

He probably did..

Actually, I remember reading in Private Eye a while back how Piers Morgan (who was in the process of claiming he wasn't involved in hacking) had talked about things in his autobiography that it is unlikely he would have found out any other way, and even talked a little about how they did it. They even listed page numbers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18203161

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is to appear before the Leveson Inquiry into media standards on Monday.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will give evidence on Thursday, the inquiry witness list shows.
He will be asked about his office's links with News Corp during its bid to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB.

Next Tuesday, Education Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary Theresa May will appear at the inquiry. Business Secretary Vince Cable and Justice Secretary Ken Clarke will appear on Wednesday.

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Mr Cameron said: "I don't regret giving the job to Jeremy Hunt, it was the right thing to do in the circumstances, which were not of my making."The PM told This Morning: "The crucial point, the really crucial point, is did Jeremy Hunt carry out his role properly with respect to BSkyB and I believe that he did."

I'm wondering just how much more revelations there are to come looking at the witness list.

[mertle]

you do wonder ho to be fly on the wall on those private meetings and gettogethers.

Sadly only way would to find out what was realy said one them to have been wiretapped. Saying that you would not bet against them from news corp. With atitude if we going down we taking others with them.

I am getting are this who going take prisioners first. I think closer it gets to one party they will spill beans big style.

And I think you just like conspiracy theories and hypothesising stuff that supports your agenda........

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Will he be under oath?

Not sure I'd believe anything he says even then.

Of course.Everyone swears the oath.

This is looking extremely unfavourable for both Hunt and Cameron. The idea is you put someone impartial in place to make sure a fair and open decision was made on the BSkyb bid. How you can put someone in place who was clearly not impartial leads to asking questions of by just how much were the Murdoch's filling the Government's pockets ?

[nomadking]

It was hardly a new and/or secret proposal, and as such MANY people would have already formed an opinion of one sort or another.