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Jeremy Hunt to face Leveson questioning Jeremy Hunt to face Leveson questioning
(about 7 hours later)
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics later in what is likely to be a key day of evidence. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to defend his handling of News Corp's attempt to take over broadcaster BSkyB when he appears at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics later.
Mr Hunt will be asked about his office's links with News Corp during the company's bid to take over satellite broadcaster BSkyB. Mr Hunt has denied the company had influence within his office.
He has faced pressure after the inquiry released emails and text messages showing a high level of contact. A junior special adviser resigned after emails and text messages were released showing a high level of contact.
Mr Hunt has denied News Corp had any influence with his office. Mr Hunt has submitted more than 160 pages of memos, emails and text message transcripts to the inquiry.
Questioning from Robert Jay QC is likely to focus on what contact the culture secretary authorised between his special adviser Adam Smith and News Corp lobbyist Fred Michel. BBC political editor Nick Robinson says Mr Hunt originally believed his special adviser Adam Smith had done nothing wrong and told friends he would resign himself rather than letting a junior official resign for him.
Adviser's resignation Questioning from Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, is likely to focus on what contact the culture secretary authorised between Mr Smith and News Corp lobbyist Fred Michel.
Mr Hunt had asked for his appearance at the inquiry to be brought forward after the inquiry released a cache of emails and text messages detailing a high level of contact between the men, but this request was refused by Lord Justice Leveson. Mr Hunt is expected to insist he acted in ways which frustrated rather than accelerated News Corp's bid, once he was given the role of overseeing it, our political editor added.
Mr Smith stepped down from his position last month, saying the "content and extent" of his dealings with Mr Michel had not been authorised by the minister.
During his appearance at the inquiry last week, Mr Smith revealed Mr Hunt had sent a memo to the prime minister indicating support for News Corp's bid weeks before he was asked to decide whether to grant it.
In the memo - written on 19 November 2010, when Business Secretary Vince Cable was in charge of overseeing the BSkyB bid - Mr Hunt said News Corp executive James Murdoch was "furious" about Mr Cable's handling of the matter.
He told the prime minister it would be "totally wrong to cave in" to opponents of the deal and said the UK had the chance to "lead the way" if the BSkyB bid went ahead.
Mr Hunt took over responsibility for the bid a month later, when Mr Cable was stripped of the responsibility after telling undercover reporters he had "declared war on Murdoch" and would block the bid.
In his evidence, Mr Michel said his dealings with Mr Smith were not "inappropriate" but denied government claims he had exaggerated the closeness of his relationship with Mr Smith.
'Official channels''Official channels'
The inquiry heard Mr Michel made 191 telephone calls and sent 158 emails and 799 texts to Mr Hunt's team, 90% of which were were exchanges with Mr Smith. The culture secretary had asked for his appearance at the inquiry to be brought forward after the inquiry released a cache of emails and text messages detailing a high level of contact between the men, but this request was refused by Lord Justice Leveson.
After Mr Hunt was handed responsibility for the BSkyB bid in December 2010, the culture secretary said in a text message exchange that all business contact "now needs to be through official channels until decision made...".
Mr Michel told the inquiry references to conversations with "JH" in his emails with Mr Smith were "shorthand" for the culture department. Mr Smith stepped down from his position last month, saying the "content and extent" of his dealings with Mr Michel had not been authorised by the minister.
Later, he said he believed Mr Smith was representing the culture secretary in the same way he was representing News Corp. During his appearance at the inquiry last week, he revealed Mr Hunt had sent a memo to the prime minister indicating support for News Corp's bid weeks before he was asked to decide whether to grant it.
Prime Minister David Cameron has supported Mr Hunt but has warned if evidence to the inquiry suggests the ministerial code might have been breached, he will take immediate action. In the memo - written on 19 November 2010, when Business Secretary Vince Cable was in charge of overseeing the bid - Mr Hunt told David Cameron it would be "totally wrong to cave in" to opponents of the deal.
A decision on whether his independent ethics adviser, Sir Alex Allan, should investigate is expected shortly after Mr Hunt gives evidence. In his evidence, Mr Michel said his dealings with Mr Smith were not "inappropriate" but denied government claims he had exaggerated the closeness of his relationship with Mr Smith. He said references to conversations with "JH" in his emails with Mr Smith were "shorthand" for the culture department.
News Corp unveiled its bid for BSkyB in June 2010 but abandoned it in July 2011 amid outrage over the phone-hacking scandal at its News of the World newspaper. The inquiry heard Mr Michel made 191 telephone calls and sent 158 emails and 799 texts to Mr Hunt's team, 90% of which were exchanges with Mr Smith.
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp unveiled its bid for BSkyB in June 2010 but abandoned it in July 2011 amid outrage over the phone-hacking scandal at its News of the World newspaper. As a result of the outrage, the prime minister set up the Leveson Inquiry to examine media practices.
Media commentator Steve Hewlett told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the events surrounding the takeover bid had a wider significance for the inquiry.
"In the bigger picture this [the inquiry] is about the relations between the press and politicians," he said.
"Cut to the chase, it's really about did Rupert Murdoch's empire have disproportionate influence, and was it of any effect? The BSkyB takeover case has become a kind of touchstone question for Leveson, because if you can get to the bottom of what happened in this case, you might be able to answer that question."
Mr Cameron has supported Mr Hunt but has warned if evidence to the inquiry suggests the ministerial code might have been breached, he will take immediate action. A decision on whether his independent ethics adviser, Sir Alex Allan, should investigate is expected shortly after Mr Hunt gives evidence.
His appearance at the Leveson inquiry also comes the day after the prime minister's former director of communications Andy Coulson was charged with perjury following an investigation into evidence at the 2010 trial of ex-MSP Tommy Sheridan. His appearance as a witness at the High Court in Glasgow took place while he was working at Downing Street.