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| PMQs, Jeremy Hunt and reaction to the Murdoch hearing: Politics live blog | PMQs, Jeremy Hunt and reaction to the Murdoch hearing: Politics live blog |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.39am: Here's the start of the Press Assocation story about the growth figures. | |
| The UK is back in recession after a surprise 0.2% contraction in the economy in the first quarter of the year, official figures revealed today. The decline in gross domestic product (GDP) was driven by the biggest fall in construction output for three years, while the manufacturing sector failed to return to growth, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The preliminary estimate, which may be revised later, means the UK is back in a technical recession - defined as two quarters of decline in a row. The City had predicted the economy would scrape growth of 0.1% after a 0.3% fall in the previous quarter. But the current downturn is expected to be nothing like as severe as the previous recession of 2008/09, which spanned more than a year. | |
There will be more reaction on our business live blog. But I'll be picking up the political reaction here, because this is hugely damaging for the government, which has made economic recovery its number one priority. When Ed Balls said that the coalition's austerity programme could create a double-dip recession, he was accuses of scaremongering. Today he will be able to say that he has been proved right, although the Treasury are saying that the crisis in the Eurozone, and not public spending cuts in the UK, are to blame for the economy stalling. | |
| 9.32am: Here are more details from the release from the Office for National Statistics. | |
| • The chained volume measure of GDP decreased by 0.2 per cent in Q1 2012 | |
| • Output of the production industries decreased by 0.4 per cent in Q1 2012, following a decrease of 1.3 per cent in the previous quarter | |
| • Construction sector output decreased by 3.0 per cent in Q1 2012, following a decrease of 0.2 per cent in the previous quarter | |
| • Output of the service industries increased by 0.1 per cent in Q1 2012, following a decrease of 0.1 per cent in the previous quarter | |
| • GDP in volume terms is flat in Q1 2012, when compared with Q1 2011 | |
| And here is the ONS bulletin with the full details (pdf). | |
| 9.31am: Britain is back in recession. Growth fell by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012. | |
| 9.16am: Here's a fairly random selection of Murdoch tweets from this morning. | |
| From the FT's Ben Fenton | |
| Idle thought as I wait in rain for @rupertmurdoch. James M sd twice in evidence "that's not the way *I* do business. Not "we". #risingdamp | |
| — Ben Fenton (@benfenton) April 25, 2012 | |
| From the New Statesman's George Eaton | |
| The Hunt story is the true fulfilment of Cameron's prediction that lobbying will be "the next big scandal". | |
| — George Eaton (@georgeeaton) April 25, 2012 | |
| From the Conservative MP Louise Mensch | |
| And if the subject of Jeremy Hunt comes up on the Daily Politics, after local press, I look forward to mounting a robust defence. | |
| — Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) April 25, 2012 | |
| From Labour's Chris Bryant | |
| "I am going to be making a very, very determined effort to show that I behaved with total integrity" - the lackey doth protest too much? | |
| — Chris Bryant (@ChrisBryantMP) April 25, 2012 | |
| From the BBC's Andrew Neil | |
| Page 1 of New York Times has this inspired headline: "Murdoch case shifts it's focus to a Minister". And they wonder why #nyt in decline! | |
| — Andrew Neil(@afneil) April 25, 2012 | |
| From the Daily Telegraph's Michael Deacon | |
| Rupert Murdoch at Leveson, 10am. Expected to begin by announcing, "This is the humblest day of David Cameron's life" | |
| — Michael Deacon (@MichaelPDeacon) April 25, 2012 | |
| 9.01am: Lord Prescott (pictured), the Labour former deputy prime minister, has challenged Jeremy Hunt to make a statement about his dealings with the Murdochs to parliament. | 9.01am: Lord Prescott (pictured), the Labour former deputy prime minister, has challenged Jeremy Hunt to make a statement about his dealings with the Murdochs to parliament. |
| I can't understand why Mr Hunt - instead of applying to Leveson - why doesn't he come before the House of Commons and explain there is no truth in these allegations? If he is so clear that he has done his job properly and impartially, come and tell the House of Commons. Why ask Lord Justice Leveson as to whether he would allow him to appear before? It means delay, delay, delay. | I can't understand why Mr Hunt - instead of applying to Leveson - why doesn't he come before the House of Commons and explain there is no truth in these allegations? If he is so clear that he has done his job properly and impartially, come and tell the House of Commons. Why ask Lord Justice Leveson as to whether he would allow him to appear before? It means delay, delay, delay. |
| 8.55am: Harriet Harman (pictured), the Labour deputy leader, has been renewing her attack on Jeremy Hunt. This is what she told BBC News. I've take the quote from PoliticsHome. | 8.55am: Harriet Harman (pictured), the Labour deputy leader, has been renewing her attack on Jeremy Hunt. This is what she told BBC News. I've take the quote from PoliticsHome. |
I'm afraid it is absolutely evident that, although his responsibility was to act not like a politician but like a judge, in a quasi-judicial capacity, and be completely impartial, even before he took on that responsibility he had already shown himself to be in favour of the bid. He then gave information to one side, and when you are making a decision between those people in favour of the bid – Murdoch – and those against, you can't be giving information to one side, helping one side. You are supposed to step back, like a judge. | I'm afraid it is absolutely evident that, although his responsibility was to act not like a politician but like a judge, in a quasi-judicial capacity, and be completely impartial, even before he took on that responsibility he had already shown himself to be in favour of the bid. He then gave information to one side, and when you are making a decision between those people in favour of the bid – Murdoch – and those against, you can't be giving information to one side, helping one side. You are supposed to step back, like a judge. |
| 8.41am: Here is what some Tories are saying about Jeremy Hunt's position today. | 8.41am: Here is what some Tories are saying about Jeremy Hunt's position today. |
| George Eustice (pictured), a Conservative MP, said that Jeremy Hunt behaved properly and that News Corporation's lobbyist, Frédéric Michel, exaggerated the extent of his contacts with Hunt. | George Eustice (pictured), a Conservative MP, said that Jeremy Hunt behaved properly and that News Corporation's lobbyist, Frédéric Michel, exaggerated the extent of his contacts with Hunt. |
| I think he [Hunt] has been scrupulous in this. There's a huge number of emails that have obviously come out from News International on a whole range of things but what this really shows, this trail of emails, is that Fred Smith, the lobbyist who worked for the Murdochs, was trying to get in touch, trying to find out information, doing what lobbyists quite often do, which is exaggerating things. | I think he [Hunt] has been scrupulous in this. There's a huge number of emails that have obviously come out from News International on a whole range of things but what this really shows, this trail of emails, is that Fred Smith, the lobbyist who worked for the Murdochs, was trying to get in touch, trying to find out information, doing what lobbyists quite often do, which is exaggerating things. |
| Damian Collins, a Conservative MP, also defended Hunt, saying that Hunt scrupulously followed advice and that he was entitled to have contacts with News Corporation. | Damian Collins, a Conservative MP, also defended Hunt, saying that Hunt scrupulously followed advice and that he was entitled to have contacts with News Corporation. |
| He was the culture secretary, he was in charge of media in the country, in the cabinet. It was perfectly reasonable to understand that he might talk from time to time to people who own some of the biggest media owners in the country. | He was the culture secretary, he was in charge of media in the country, in the cabinet. It was perfectly reasonable to understand that he might talk from time to time to people who own some of the biggest media owners in the country. |
| Lord Fowler, a Conservative peer, said that he expected Hunt to make a statement in the Commons and that the affair showed why ministers should not be involved in media takeover decisions. | Lord Fowler, a Conservative peer, said that he expected Hunt to make a statement in the Commons and that the affair showed why ministers should not be involved in media takeover decisions. |
I imagine [Hunt will] go to the floor of the House and I'd like to listen to that statement ... I think what it really demonstrates once again is that you should take ministers out of the media decision process. | I imagine [Hunt will] go to the floor of the House and I'd like to listen to that statement ... I think what it really demonstrates once again is that you should take ministers out of the media decision process. |
| I've taken the quotes from PoliticsHome. | I've taken the quotes from PoliticsHome. |
| 8.30am: What a day. For anyone remotely interested in the way Britain works, the next 12 hours are going to be fascinating. Rupert Murdoch has exercised extraordinary influence over British politics for more than 30 years but, as Robert Peston says on his blog this morning, he has never been held to account in the way that he will be when he gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry today. We'll be covering the hearing in detail on a separate live blog, but I'll be picking up some of the political reaction here. And I'll be reporting on Jeremy Hunt's attempts to rescue his reputation in the light of the evidence that emerged yesterday. This morning Hunt said that he would be making a "very, very determined effort" to clear his name. | 8.30am: What a day. For anyone remotely interested in the way Britain works, the next 12 hours are going to be fascinating. Rupert Murdoch has exercised extraordinary influence over British politics for more than 30 years but, as Robert Peston says on his blog this morning, he has never been held to account in the way that he will be when he gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry today. We'll be covering the hearing in detail on a separate live blog, but I'll be picking up some of the political reaction here. And I'll be reporting on Jeremy Hunt's attempts to rescue his reputation in the light of the evidence that emerged yesterday. This morning Hunt said that he would be making a "very, very determined effort" to clear his name. |
| I have made my position clear. I am going to be making a very, very determined effort to show that I behaved with total integrity, and conducted this process scrupulously fairly. | I have made my position clear. I am going to be making a very, very determined effort to show that I behaved with total integrity, and conducted this process scrupulously fairly. |
| Hunt wants to give evidence to the Leveson inquiry very soon. But there's a strong chance that he could end up making a statement in the Commons about it today, perhaps in response to an urgent question from Labour. Even if we don't hear from Hunt, the subject is going to dominate PMQs. | Hunt wants to give evidence to the Leveson inquiry very soon. But there's a strong chance that he could end up making a statement in the Commons about it today, perhaps in response to an urgent question from Labour. Even if we don't hear from Hunt, the subject is going to dominate PMQs. |
| I'll be focusing on the Murdoch fallout today, but we've also got important growth figures coming out. Here's the full agenda for the day. | I'll be focusing on the Murdoch fallout today, but we've also got important growth figures coming out. Here's the full agenda for the day. |
| 9.30am: Growth figures are published for the first three months of 2012. They will show whether or not Britain has slipped back into recession. We'll be covering this in detail on our business live blog. 10am: Rupert Murdoch gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry. | 9.30am: Growth figures are published for the first three months of 2012. They will show whether or not Britain has slipped back into recession. We'll be covering this in detail on our business live blog. 10am: Rupert Murdoch gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry. |
| 10am: The Institute of Directors annual convention opens. Nick Clegg and Alex Salmond are both speaking. | 10am: The Institute of Directors annual convention opens. Nick Clegg and Alex Salmond are both speaking. |
| 10am: Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, gives evidence to the Commons public administration committee on business appointments rules. | 10am: Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, gives evidence to the Commons public administration committee on business appointments rules. |
| 12pm: David Cameron and Ed Miliband clash at PMQs. | 12pm: David Cameron and Ed Miliband clash at PMQs. |
| As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary before 12.30pm and another in the afternoon. | As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary before 12.30pm and another in the afternoon. |
| If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. |
| And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. | And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. |