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Leveson Inquiry: Press links inevitable, says Tony Blair | Leveson Inquiry: Press links inevitable, says Tony Blair |
(40 minutes later) | |
A close interaction between politicians and the press is inevitable, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the Leveson Inquiry. | A close interaction between politicians and the press is inevitable, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the Leveson Inquiry. |
Mr Blair told the inquiry that at its best British journalism was the best in the world. | Mr Blair told the inquiry that at its best British journalism was the best in the world. |
But he said the use of newspapers as instruments of political power created a relationship that was "unhealthy". | |
At one point a protester had to be ejected after getting into the court and calling Mr Blair a "war criminal". | |
Proceedings were interrupted for around 20 seconds before the man was escorted away. | |
Lord Justice Leveson apologised to Mr Blair and questioned how the man was able to enter the court through what should have been a secure corridor. An investigation was immediately ordered. | |
Mr Blair said on the record that there was no truth in the allegation, made by the protester, that he had a paid relationship with JP Morgan. | |
Major confrontation | Major confrontation |
The inquiry is investigating the link between the press and politicians. | |
Mr Blair said it would be strange if senior media people and senior politicians did not have an interaction. | Mr Blair said it would be strange if senior media people and senior politicians did not have an interaction. |
The word "unhealthy" rather than "cosy" was a better description of the relationship in some cases, he added. | The word "unhealthy" rather than "cosy" was a better description of the relationship in some cases, he added. |
Mr Blair said he had made a strategic decision as a political leader that he was going to manage that and not confront it. | Mr Blair said he had made a strategic decision as a political leader that he was going to manage that and not confront it. |
He told the inquiry: "It's almost impossible now, even now, to dispute this issue to do with so-called 'spin'. | He told the inquiry: "It's almost impossible now, even now, to dispute this issue to do with so-called 'spin'. |
"I can't believe we are the first and only government that has ever wanted to put the best possible gloss on what we're doing, that is a completely different thing to saying that you go out to say things that are deliberately untrue." | "I can't believe we are the first and only government that has ever wanted to put the best possible gloss on what we're doing, that is a completely different thing to saying that you go out to say things that are deliberately untrue." |
Counsel to the inquiry Robert Jay QC asked Mr Blair why he had not taken on the media. | Counsel to the inquiry Robert Jay QC asked Mr Blair why he had not taken on the media. |
He responded that this would have provoked a major confrontation and he had not wanted that to detract from other policy goals. | |
Mr Blair said he thought Ofcom was probably the right body to deal with media policy but did not envisage it replacing the Press Complaints Commission (PCC). | Mr Blair said he thought Ofcom was probably the right body to deal with media policy but did not envisage it replacing the Press Complaints Commission (PCC). |
'On board' | |
Mr Jay then turned his questioning to the influence of the newspapers. | Mr Jay then turned his questioning to the influence of the newspapers. |
Mr Blair said the Sun and the Daily Mail were the two most powerful of the papers, and the Sun was important because it was prepared to shift its political allegiance. | |
He said his government had decided more things against the interests of Rupert Murdoch than for them. | He said his government had decided more things against the interests of Rupert Murdoch than for them. |
Asked about the Sun newspaper, Mr Blair said it was important to get the newspaper "on board". | Asked about the Sun newspaper, Mr Blair said it was important to get the newspaper "on board". |
Mr Blair said former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks mattered because she was editor of the Sun at the time but the decision-maker was Mr Murdoch not Mrs Brooks. | Mr Blair said former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks mattered because she was editor of the Sun at the time but the decision-maker was Mr Murdoch not Mrs Brooks. |
The inquiry was told that in the run up to the Iraq War there were three calls to Mr Murdoch, as well as to other newspapers. | The inquiry was told that in the run up to the Iraq War there were three calls to Mr Murdoch, as well as to other newspapers. |
"I would have been wanting to explain what I was doing. I don't think there was anything particularly odd or unusual about that," Mr Blair explained. | |
Asked about his friendship with Mr Murdoch, the former prime minister said it was a working relationship until after he left office. He added that he would never have become the godfather of Mr Murdoch's daughter while he was in office. | |
Mr Blair then turned to the issue of managing the media, which he said was far more important these days because of the "tsunami-like" influence of social media which can "wash away a government". | |
The former prime minister is the first of several senior politicians due to appear at the inquiry this week, including Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt. | |
Mr Blair's relationship with Mr Murdoch first came into public view in 1995, when he travelled to Hayman Island in Australia to address News Corp executives. | Mr Blair's relationship with Mr Murdoch first came into public view in 1995, when he travelled to Hayman Island in Australia to address News Corp executives. |
The trip was part of a New Labour strategy to reach out to newspapers that had unfavourably portrayed previous leaders Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock. | The trip was part of a New Labour strategy to reach out to newspapers that had unfavourably portrayed previous leaders Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock. |
It seemingly worked, and in 1997 the Sun newspaper, owned by the Murdoch subsidiary News International, switched allegiance from Conservative to Labour. | It seemingly worked, and in 1997 the Sun newspaper, owned by the Murdoch subsidiary News International, switched allegiance from Conservative to Labour. |