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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Leveson inquiry: Vince Cable and Ken Clarke - live | Leveson inquiry: Vince Cable and Ken Clarke - live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.23am: Jay asks why Cable actively sought the views of Lib Dem colleagues. | |
| Cable says he wanted background guidance on media policy. | |
| 10.22am: Cable was first aware of News Corp's bid for BSkyB on 15 June 2010, when it was publicly announced. James Murdoch notified Cable of the bid, he says, but the business secretary felt no urgency to receive representations. | |
| Cable adds that he was notified by James Murdoch of "the intention to proceed" in November 2010. | |
| 10.20am: Cable is asked how the avoidance of bias would be avoided. | |
| He says there are procedures and legal checks and balances at every stage. | |
| He adds that his actions were subject to advice from officials and lawyers who knew that if a biased decison was made, legal action could be taken through an appeals tribunal. | |
| 10.15am: Cable says in his witness statement that the secretary of state can accept undertakings in lieu before the takeover is referred to the Competition Commission. | |
| He adds that the decision "must be taken with an independent mind. With an independent mind doesn't mean with a blank mind. Most people in public life have views ... and the requirement on me is to set those on one side for the sake of making this decision. Taking representations, facts ... and making a decision on that, and only on that." | |
| 10.10am: Cable says it was his responsibility to judge whether there was an issue of plurality from News Corp's proposed BSkyB takeover. | |
| 10.08am: Cable saiys he had experience of quasi-judicial decisions while he was a councillor in Glasgow. | |
| He adds: | |
| If you can't ride two horses at once you shouldn't be in a circus. | |
| 10.06am: Business secretary Vince Cable takes the stand at the Leveson inquiry. | |
| Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, is leading the questioning. | |
| 10.04am: We will bring you more details on the Coulson story as we have them. | |
| Here is the Strathclyde police statement, as reported by STV: | |
| Officers acting for Strathclyde police Operation Rubicon detained a 44-year-old man in London this morning under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Scotland Act on suspicion of committing perjury at the high court in Glasgow. It would be inappropriate to comment further in this case. | |
| 10.02am: Andy Coulson has been arrested by Strathclyde police on suspicion of committing perjury at the high court in Glasgow, according to STV. | |
| 9.24am: The Guardian's Esther Addley has just tweeted from the Julian Assange appeal hearing: | 9.24am: The Guardian's Esther Addley has just tweeted from the Julian Assange appeal hearing: |
| #Assange loses extradition appeal | #Assange loses extradition appeal |
| — esther addley (@estheraddley) May 30, 2012 | — esther addley (@estheraddley) May 30, 2012 |
| 9.19am: Conservative peer Lord Brooke, who served alongside Clarke in the cabinet under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, suggested last week that the 71-year-old minister might leave government soon. | 9.19am: Conservative peer Lord Brooke, who served alongside Clarke in the cabinet under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, suggested last week that the 71-year-old minister might leave government soon. |
| He told the inquiry: | He told the inquiry: |
| I had dinner with him [Clarke] quite recently, and he did say he was finding red boxes at night slightly more trying than he had done in his youth. | I had dinner with him [Clarke] quite recently, and he did say he was finding red boxes at night slightly more trying than he had done in his youth. |
| So how long he will be willing to be in a frontline position, I don't know. | So how long he will be willing to be in a frontline position, I don't know. |
| 9.19am: Good morning and welcome to the Leveson inquiry live blog. | 9.19am: Good morning and welcome to the Leveson inquiry live blog. |
| The business secretary, Vince Cable, will today give detailed evidence about his handling of News Corporation's abandoned bid for BSkyB. | The business secretary, Vince Cable, will today give detailed evidence about his handling of News Corporation's abandoned bid for BSkyB. |
| The Liberal Democrat minister was stripped of his responsibilities for the £8bn takeover bid in December 2010 after being secretly recorded by the Daily Telegraph saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch. | The Liberal Democrat minister was stripped of his responsibilities for the £8bn takeover bid in December 2010 after being secretly recorded by the Daily Telegraph saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch. |
| His controversial removal led to the handover of quasi-judicial oversight of the bid to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, who had previously expressed public support for the takeover to go ahead. | His controversial removal led to the handover of quasi-judicial oversight of the bid to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, who had previously expressed public support for the takeover to go ahead. |
| Cable is expected to be pressed on why his office appeared to shun all lobbying efforts by News Corp public affairs boss Frédéric Michel while he was in charge of the deal. His evidence is likely to bring fresh scrutiny on Hunt's handling of the bid between December 2010 and July 2011. Hunt will face a full day of questions at the inquiry tomorrow. | Cable is expected to be pressed on why his office appeared to shun all lobbying efforts by News Corp public affairs boss Frédéric Michel while he was in charge of the deal. His evidence is likely to bring fresh scrutiny on Hunt's handling of the bid between December 2010 and July 2011. Hunt will face a full day of questions at the inquiry tomorrow. |
| The justice secretary, Ken Clarke, will also give evidence today. | The justice secretary, Ken Clarke, will also give evidence today. |
| Clarke entered government in 1985 under Margaret Thatcher and later held numerous cabinet positions, including health secretary, education secretary, home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer. | Clarke entered government in 1985 under Margaret Thatcher and later held numerous cabinet positions, including health secretary, education secretary, home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer. |
| Clarke was described by the Labour MP Tom Watson last week as a "target MP" for the Sun because he is "prepared to make decisions not based on how it would be reported by tabloid newspapers". | Clarke was described by the Labour MP Tom Watson last week as a "target MP" for the Sun because he is "prepared to make decisions not based on how it would be reported by tabloid newspapers". |
| The inquiry begins at 10am. | The inquiry begins at 10am. |
| Please note that comments have been switched off for legal reasons. | Please note that comments have been switched off for legal reasons. |