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| Leveson: Cable talks of 'veiled threats' against Lib Dems | Leveson: Cable talks of 'veiled threats' against Lib Dems |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Business Secretary Vince Cable has said "veiled threats" were made against the Liberal Democrats when he was assessing News Corporation's 2010 bid for BSkyB. | Business Secretary Vince Cable has said "veiled threats" were made against the Liberal Democrats when he was assessing News Corporation's 2010 bid for BSkyB. |
| He told the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics his party was warned it would be "done over" in the firm's newspapers if he ruled against its takeover attempt. | He told the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics his party was warned it would be "done over" in the firm's newspapers if he ruled against its takeover attempt. |
| Mr Cable was removed from his role after being secretly recorded saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch. | Mr Cable was removed from his role after being secretly recorded saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch. |
| He put his comments on News Corp's boss down to "pent-up feelings". | He put his comments on News Corp's boss down to "pent-up feelings". |
| Mr Cable's role was then handed to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has come under fire himself after it emerged he had expressed support for the bid. | Mr Cable's role was then handed to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has come under fire himself after it emerged he had expressed support for the bid. |
| The business secretary had told two undercover reporters from The Daily Telegraph in December 2010 that he was seeking to block News Corp's attempt to buy the 61% of BSkyB shares it did not already own, by referring the bid to regulators Ofcom. | The business secretary had told two undercover reporters from The Daily Telegraph in December 2010 that he was seeking to block News Corp's attempt to buy the 61% of BSkyB shares it did not already own, by referring the bid to regulators Ofcom. |
| In his witness statement to the inquiry, Mr Cable says his references to a 'War on Murdoch' were "making the point, no doubt rather hyperbolically, that l had no intention of being intimidated. | In his witness statement to the inquiry, Mr Cable says his references to a 'War on Murdoch' were "making the point, no doubt rather hyperbolically, that l had no intention of being intimidated. |
| "Clearly, I should not have volunteered my unprompted opinion, even in a private, confidential conversation." | "Clearly, I should not have volunteered my unprompted opinion, even in a private, confidential conversation." |
| He told the inquiry his language had been part of a longer conversation and was influenced by the fact that he was in an "extremely tense and emotional frame of mind" after a protest took place outside his constituency office. | |
| "I had heard directly and indirectly from colleagues that there had been veiled threats, that if I made the wrong decision from the point of view of the company, my party would be - I think somebody used the phrase - done over in the News International press," Mr Cable said. | "I had heard directly and indirectly from colleagues that there had been veiled threats, that if I made the wrong decision from the point of view of the company, my party would be - I think somebody used the phrase - done over in the News International press," Mr Cable said. |
| "I took those things seriously. I was very concerned. I had myself tried to deal with the process entirely properly and impartially and I discovered that this was happening in the background. | "I took those things seriously. I was very concerned. I had myself tried to deal with the process entirely properly and impartially and I discovered that this was happening in the background. |
| "I frankly stored up my anger at what was taking place. But, in that very special and tense situation I rather offloaded my feelings." | "I frankly stored up my anger at what was taking place. But, in that very special and tense situation I rather offloaded my feelings." |
| Mr Cable said he believed the "threats" against his party came from a conversation with News Corp lobbyist Frederic Michel but cross examined by counsel for the company refused to identify the person who told him of the reports. | Mr Cable said he believed the "threats" against his party came from a conversation with News Corp lobbyist Frederic Michel but cross examined by counsel for the company refused to identify the person who told him of the reports. |
| Earlier, questioned by inquiry counsel Robert Jay QC on the task of making quasi-judicial decisions, Mr Cable said: "With an independent mind doesn't mean with a blank mind." | Earlier, questioned by inquiry counsel Robert Jay QC on the task of making quasi-judicial decisions, Mr Cable said: "With an independent mind doesn't mean with a blank mind." |
| Mr Cable said "most people in public life have views... The requirement... is to set those on one side". | Mr Cable said "most people in public life have views... The requirement... is to set those on one side". |
| He said he had thought Mr Murdoch's newspapers had "disproportionate political influence" but that was not a factor in his decision to refer the News Corp bid. | He said he had thought Mr Murdoch's newspapers had "disproportionate political influence" but that was not a factor in his decision to refer the News Corp bid. |
| "My views about this company were actually quite nuanced," he said. | "My views about this company were actually quite nuanced," he said. |
| He said he did not wish to be "disrespectful" to News Corp executive James Murdoch by turning down the offer of a meeting, but gave it careful thought and decided that it was "not appropriate". | He said he did not wish to be "disrespectful" to News Corp executive James Murdoch by turning down the offer of a meeting, but gave it careful thought and decided that it was "not appropriate". |
| The company had the option to put its views in writing which it did, he added. He also received lobbying from other groups including the BBC, the TUC, media research firm Enders, the Guardian, BT and Capital Research Management. | The company had the option to put its views in writing which it did, he added. He also received lobbying from other groups including the BBC, the TUC, media research firm Enders, the Guardian, BT and Capital Research Management. |
| Mr Hunt is to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on Thursday. | Mr Hunt is to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on Thursday. |
| Last week, it emerged he had sent a memo to Prime Minister David Cameron indicating his support for the deal, prior to overseeing the bid, but also cautioning it would be "wrong for the government to get involved in such a competition issue". | Last week, it emerged he had sent a memo to Prime Minister David Cameron indicating his support for the deal, prior to overseeing the bid, but also cautioning it would be "wrong for the government to get involved in such a competition issue". |
| The culture secretary insists that he oversaw the process "with scrupulous fairness" and has been backed by Mr Cameron and his department's most senior civil servant. | The culture secretary insists that he oversaw the process "with scrupulous fairness" and has been backed by Mr Cameron and his department's most senior civil servant. |
| Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke is now giving evidence to the inquiry, which is currently looking at the relationship between press and politicians, in the afternoon. |