The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Jeremy Hunt’s secret bid memo on BSkyB to David Cameron

Jeremy Hunt’s secret bid memo on BSkyB to David Cameron
25 May 2012
Matthew Warcup
Avatar
Matthew Warcup
25 May 2012

Rupert Murdoch’s battle to buy BSkyB has moved closer to David Cameron last night after new evidence has come to light which has undermined the Prime Minister’s claim that the government was even-handed in deciding on the £8bn deal.

On Thursday at the Leveson enquiry a memo was shown as evidence. The memo was to the Prime Minister from James Hunt, the Culture Secretary, who was given responsibility for deciding whether Murdoch’s News Corporation would be allowed to buy publicly-owned shares. The memo warned that News Corp’s James Murdoch was “furious” about the Business Secretary’s handling of the matter.

The memo went on to say Ofcom could leave the Government “on the wrong side of media policy,” and said it would be “totally wrong” for minsters to “cave in” to News Corp’s opponents.

Yet Jeremy Hunt was accused on Thursday night of misleading Parliament after it emerged that he wrote a private memo to the PM supporting News Corporation buy-out of BSkyB, a month before he was put in charge.

Hunt was given the role and responsibility of Business Secretary following Vince Cable’s removal from the role, after Cable made comments to undercover reporters.

Even though Cameron was aware that Hunt was in favour of the bid for News Corp to buy BSkyB, Cameron at the time was said to be under pressure from the Liberal Democrats. He was pressured to find a more impartial figure.

Harriet Harman, Labour Deputy Leader, said “It is clear from today’s evidence that David Cameron gave responsibility to Jeremy Hunt for deciding on BSkyB bid when he knew only too well that the Culture Secretary was actively supporting the bid.”

Harman added: “The Prime Minster should ever have given him the job. It is clear that Jeremy Hunt for deciding on BSkyB bid when he knew only too well that the Culture Secretary was actively supporting the bid.”

Prime Minster, David Cameron, said “The key was it wasn’t what he said in the past, it was how he was going to do the job. He did act impartially because he took independent advice at every stage and he followed the independent advice at every stage.”

Sir Gus O’Donnell, Cabinet Secretary, had not been shown the memo. O’Donnell would have been able to provide legal advice on whether James Hunt could handle the BSkyB decision with an impartial manner.

No date has been set for the Prime Minster to appear at the Leveson inquiry. The PM said he was “looking forward to giving evidence, so all of this will be out in the open”.

Matthew Warcup

Related Items

More in Uncategorised

Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs

★★★★★
Mark Worgan
Read More

The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Away

★★★★★
Mae Trumata
Read More

Imperial Blue

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

Are We Lost Forever

★★★★★
Dan Meier
Read More

Should your business stay remote or should you go back to the office?

The editorial unit
Read More

Bridgerton: A period drama you don’t want to watch with your grandma

Rosamund Kelby
Read More

You Me at Six – Suckapunch

★★★★★
Mark Worgan
Read More

Five ways calisthenics can give you an amazing full body workout

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Outside the Wire
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • A Livestream with David Bedella at Crazy Coqs Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Blithe Spirit
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Pearl Charles – Magic Mirror
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Away
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Imperial Blue
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Are We Lost Forever
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Sommelier Kelvin McCabe on where to buy good wine to celebrate (and enjoy) 2021
    Food & Drinks
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

“Friends and Family” test to shame under-performing hospitals
Hodgson’s first step as England boss