Hunt's teasing catches out Whitehall officials
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been given responsibility for deciding whether the Murdoch empire should be allowed to take over the rest of BSkyB - instead of the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, who was rather compromised by his unguarded comments before Christmas to two undercover reporters posing as constituents.
But could Hunt, too, be somewhat compromised?
I'm told that last summer Hunt held a meeting at the Culture Department to discuss his plans for the future of broadcasting.
"Now, I must just see what James thinks about all this," Hunt reportedly said as he closed the meeting.
His civil servants were horrified. By "James" they assumed Hunt meant James Murdoch.
And indeed he did mean Murdoch, though I am assured that Hunt was merely teasing his officials. And the teasing worked.
I ought perhaps to declare a minuscule interest in all this: I own 100 shares in BSkyB, and also £2,000-3,000 worth in News Corporation - relics from the days when I was writing a never-published book on Murdoch.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 5th Jan 2011, jauntycyclist wrote:its only bias to be against sky?
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Comment number 2.
At 6th Jan 2011, Steve_M-H wrote:Well, if the 91Èȱ¬ can be exempt from plurality, why cant Sky? Or is it because the 91Èȱ¬ is publicly funded and left leaning whereas Sky/News International is not? I havent heard a squeak yet from the likes of the Grauniad about how the 91Èȱ¬ is bad for media plurality..... might be something to do with all the job ad's it places in its pages...
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Comment number 3.
At 6th Jan 2011, stevie wrote:bravo 91Èȱ¬....boo, hiss all things Sky....
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Comment number 4.
At 6th Jan 2011, stanilic wrote:Mr. Hunt might have been referring to James as in Jim Naughtie. I understand they know each other.
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Comment number 5.
At 6th Jan 2011, RWWCardiff wrote:I'm glad you declared your interest when so many find it difficult! Mind you once you're embroiled in the Murdoch empire it's hard to escape. Keep up the good work and do read the Eye now and again it had an interesting feature on Jeremy Hunt not so long ago so he may not have been teasing after all.
Regards, etc.
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Comment number 6.
At 6th Jan 2011, barriesingleton wrote:POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
Hunt is a politician. He SAID 'James' but (in the age of Fairness, going forward) who knows what he meant? Should we perhaps consult Mystic Clegg?
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Comment number 7.
At 7th Jan 2011, corum-populo-2010 wrote:Well you couldn't make it up. Culture Minister - Jeremy Hunt - a guest of Rupert Murdoch before the 2010 election (source:Theyworkforyou.com).
It is no secret that Murdoch et al is after the 91Èȱ¬?
Perhaps the deal is already done? Andy Coulson, still at the heart of government at No.10 Downing Street and Murdoch financed and supported a Conservative election?
If 91Èȱ¬ Flagship and trusted Newsnight are concerned or 'coy' about pointing out these concerns - that is very disturbing indeed.
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