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Leveson Inquiry: Hunt defends 'congrats' Murdoch text Leveson Inquiry: Hunt defends 'congrats' Murdoch text
(40 minutes later)
Jeremy Hunt sent a congratulatory text message to News Corp executive James Murdoch just hours before he was asked to oversee the firm's bid for BSkyB, the Leveson Inquiry has heard. Jeremy Hunt sent a congratulatory text message to News Corp executive James Murdoch just hours before the minister was asked to oversee the firm's bid for BSkyB, the Leveson Inquiry has heard.
The culture secretary told Mr Murdoch it was "great" that European regulators did not intend to intervene. The culture secretary told Mr Murdoch it was "great" that European regulators had decided not to intervene.
Mr Hunt told the inquiry he had been "sympathetic" to the bid but "set aside" his views when given the role.Mr Hunt told the inquiry he had been "sympathetic" to the bid but "set aside" his views when given the role.
He also denied News Corp had influence within his office.He also denied News Corp had influence within his office.
After the hearing Downing Street said Prime Minister David Cameron believed Mr Hunt had acted properly when he was responsible for the bid and would not be referring his case to the adviser on the ministerial code.
Labour has argued the culture secretary should stand down as he was in breach of the code for failing to supervise his adviser over his contacts with News Corp and for misleading the Commons.
The current phase of the Leveson inquiry into media ethics is examining the relationship between the press and politicians.The current phase of the Leveson inquiry into media ethics is examining the relationship between the press and politicians.
The decision to ask Mr Hunt to adjudicate on the BSkyB bid came in December 2010 after Business Secretary Vince Cable was stripped of responsibilities after telling undercover journalists he had "declared war" on News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch. The decision to ask Mr Hunt to oversee the BSkyB bid came in December 2010 after Business Secretary Vince Cable was stripped of responsibilities after telling undercover journalists he had "declared war" on News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch.
The culture secretary said he would not have sent the text to Mr Murdoch, which said "Great and congrats on Brussels. Just [regulator] Ofcom to go", had he known he would be given responsibility for the bid later the same day.The culture secretary said he would not have sent the text to Mr Murdoch, which said "Great and congrats on Brussels. Just [regulator] Ofcom to go", had he known he would be given responsibility for the bid later the same day.
Following the morning's evidence, Labour's Chris Bryant told the BBC David Cameron should sack Mr Hunt. Following the morning's evidence, Labour MP Chris Bryant told the BBC David Cameron should sack Mr Hunt because he had been texting James Murdoch despite telling Parliament he had had no direct contact with the company over the matter.
He said Mr Hunt had been texting Mr Murdoch even though he had told Parliament he had had no direct contact with the company over the matter.
"We learned that Jeremy Hunt, at the very time when it was being decided who should be taking over responsibility for the decision on the BSkyB takeover, was in conversation with James Murdoch," Mr Bryant said.
He said this was "effectively colluding with News Corporation".
But Conservative MP Louise Mensch told the BBC "he has been completely exonerated today".But Conservative MP Louise Mensch told the BBC "he has been completely exonerated today".
The inquiry also heard:The inquiry also heard:
  • Mr Hunt revealed he considered resigning, but added: "I had conducted the bid scrupulously fairly through every stage and I believe it was possible to demonstrate that"
  • He said sending replies to text messages from James Murdoch were "just me being courteous", adding he would probably now "avoid all text messages"
  • He was advised not to have a drink with No 10 director of communications Andy Coulson after he left Downing Street until the bid process was over, as Mr Coulson was considered to be so close to News International
  • Special adviser Adam Smith sent Mr Hunt a text telling him Rebekah Brooks had resigned as chief executive of News International. He replied immediately saying: "About bloody time!"
  • He defended his special adviser's contact with News Corporation lobbyist Frederic Michel, saying he was "totally shocked" by the volume of contact from Mr Michel, describing one of his texts as "pushy" and "cheeky"
  • "What Mr Smith hasn't done, as far as I can tell, is ever go back and agitate for the thing Mr Michel is putting him under pressure to achieve," said Mr Hunt
  • He said he had accepted Mr Smith's resignation over the contact with a "very heavy heart", and "personally found the whole thing very difficult" but felt the result was inevitable
'Screw up'
  • Mr Hunt considered resigning, but he added: "I had conducted the bid scrupulously fairly... and I believe it was possible to demonstrate that"
  • He said sending replies to text messages from James Murdoch were "me being courteous", adding he would probably now "avoid all text messages"
  • He was advised not to have a drink with No 10 director of communications Andy Coulson after he left Downing Street until the bid process was over, as Mr Coulson was considered to be so close to News International
  • Special adviser Adam Smith sent Mr Hunt a text telling him Rebekah Brooks had resigned as chief executive of News International. He replied immediately saying: "About bloody time!"
  • Mr Hunt revealed he uses his personal email account to conduct government business
    •
  • He defended his special adviser's contact with News Corporation lobbyist Frederic Michel, saying he was "totally shocked" by the volume of contact from Mr Michel, describing one of his texts as "pushy" and "cheeky"
  • "What Mr Smith hasn't done, as far as I can tell, is ever go back and agitate for the thing Mr Michel is putting him under pressure to achieve," said Mr Hunt
  • He said he had accepted Mr Smith's resignation over the contact with a "very heavy heart", and "personally found the whole thing very difficult" but felt the result was inevitable
'Screw up'
The "great and congrats" message was one of a number Mr Hunt exchanged with Mr Murdoch on the afternoon of 21 December 2010 after the executive had tried to contact him by phone.The "great and congrats" message was one of a number Mr Hunt exchanged with Mr Murdoch on the afternoon of 21 December 2010 after the executive had tried to contact him by phone.
Mr Hunt also sent a text to Chancellor George Osborne expressing fears the government would "screw up" over its handling of the BSkyB bid as a result of Mr Cable's comments.Mr Hunt also sent a text to Chancellor George Osborne expressing fears the government would "screw up" over its handling of the BSkyB bid as a result of Mr Cable's comments.
Addressing his earlier position, the culture secretary said he had had concerns that there was a merger happening in the media sector that was encountering obstacles but he had wanted to be "absolutely proper" about how he approached it. He also admitted he had a mobile phone conversation with James Murdoch on 16 November 2010 to hear what was "on his mind at that time" and considered that "appropriate" behaviour.
He admitted having a mobile phone conversation with James Murdoch on 16 November 2010 to hear what was "on his mind at that time" and considered that "appropriate" behaviour.
But referring to a memo on the bid that he sent to Prime Minister David Cameron that month, Mr Hunt said that "apart from informing the prime minister of my views I wasn't actually doing anything about it".But referring to a memo on the bid that he sent to Prime Minister David Cameron that month, Mr Hunt said that "apart from informing the prime minister of my views I wasn't actually doing anything about it".
"It was widely known that I was broadly sympathetic towards the bid," he added."It was widely known that I was broadly sympathetic towards the bid," he added.
On the moment the bid decision was handed to him, Mr Hunt told the inquiry: "My suitability for the role is demonstrated by the actions I took when I did take responsibility for the role because I believe I did totally set aside all those sympathies."On the moment the bid decision was handed to him, Mr Hunt told the inquiry: "My suitability for the role is demonstrated by the actions I took when I did take responsibility for the role because I believe I did totally set aside all those sympathies."
He added a decision to publish independent advice he had been given was "about persuading the public that I was approaching the subject fairly".
Mr Hunt said claims made on 4 July 2011 that murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone had been hacked by the News of the World - part of the News Corp empire - had made him re-evaluate the News Corp bid. In the days after the revelation, it was announced the newspaper was being shut down.Mr Hunt said claims made on 4 July 2011 that murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone had been hacked by the News of the World - part of the News Corp empire - had made him re-evaluate the News Corp bid. In the days after the revelation, it was announced the newspaper was being shut down.
He denied having been pressured by Number 10 to ask Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading to re-examine the bid, saying the decision had been his own.He denied having been pressured by Number 10 to ask Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading to re-examine the bid, saying the decision had been his own.
"I asked myself, if they found it necessary to close down the whole paper, this is a big big decision for News Corporation, is there a corporate governance issue here?" said Mr Hunt."I asked myself, if they found it necessary to close down the whole paper, this is a big big decision for News Corporation, is there a corporate governance issue here?" said Mr Hunt.
'Cheerleader for Murdoch''Cheerleader for Murdoch'
"Is this a company that actually doesn't have control of what's going on in its own company?""Is this a company that actually doesn't have control of what's going on in its own company?"
On 11 July, News Corp abandoned its takeover bid for BSkyB amid outrage over the phone-hacking scandal.On 11 July, News Corp abandoned its takeover bid for BSkyB amid outrage over the phone-hacking scandal.
Asked earlier by Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, about comments on his personal website which said he was a "cheerleader for Murdoch", Mr Hunt said it had been a comment in a press article by a journalist and not how he would describe himself.Asked earlier by Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, about comments on his personal website which said he was a "cheerleader for Murdoch", Mr Hunt said it had been a comment in a press article by a journalist and not how he would describe himself.
Questioning moved on to the contact Mr Hunt had authorised between his junior special adviser Mr Smith and News Corporation lobbyist Mr Michel. Mr Smith resigned in April over the level of contact he and Mr Michel had.Questioning moved on to the contact Mr Hunt had authorised between his junior special adviser Mr Smith and News Corporation lobbyist Mr Michel. Mr Smith resigned in April over the level of contact he and Mr Michel had.
The culture secretary has supplied the inquiry with 160 pages of memos, emails and text message transcripts.The culture secretary has supplied the inquiry with 160 pages of memos, emails and text message transcripts.
He said his departmental email account was looked after by staff who alerted him to anything significant.He said his departmental email account was looked after by staff who alerted him to anything significant.
He said he saw Mr Smith's role as an "official point of contact" for News Corp, although he did not regard him as the only "channel" for inquiries the company might have and did not believe Mr Smith had been given any "express instructions".He said he saw Mr Smith's role as an "official point of contact" for News Corp, although he did not regard him as the only "channel" for inquiries the company might have and did not believe Mr Smith had been given any "express instructions".
"I did not see Mr Smith as being someone who was telling me what News Corp thought or telling News Corp what I thought," Mr Hunt added."I did not see Mr Smith as being someone who was telling me what News Corp thought or telling News Corp what I thought," Mr Hunt added.
Mr Hunt later said Mr Smith was "the most decent, straight, honourable person one can imagine, but even he was not able to maintain impartiality because of the volume of communication from Mr Michel. I think that this is where things went wrong as far as communication was concerned".Mr Hunt later said Mr Smith was "the most decent, straight, honourable person one can imagine, but even he was not able to maintain impartiality because of the volume of communication from Mr Michel. I think that this is where things went wrong as far as communication was concerned".
Labour has argued the culture secretary should stand down as he was in breach of the ministerial code for failing to supervise his adviser and for misleading the Commons.
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.