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Leveson Inquiry: John Major 'too sensitive' about press Leveson Inquiry: John Major reveals Murdoch's EU demand
(40 minutes later)
Former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major has said he was often "too sensitive" about press coverage, at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics. Rupert Murdoch warned John Major to switch policy on Europe or his papers would not support him, the ex-prime minister has told the Leveson Inquiry.
He described some coverage as "hurtful" and said it was a "basic human emotion to get a bit ratty about it". Sir John recalled the exchange from a private meeting in 1997, which he said he had not spoken about before.
Later that year, his Conservative party lost power to Labour, with the Sun and the Times backing his rival Tony Blair.
Mr Murdoch has previously told the inquiry: "I have never asked a prime minister for anything."
Sir John also said he was subjected to some "hurtful" press coverage during his time in office.
The third module of the inquiry is focusing on the relationship between the press and politicians.The third module of the inquiry is focusing on the relationship between the press and politicians.
Labour Leader Ed Miliband and his deputy Harriet Harman are due before the Leveson Inquiry later on Tuesday. Sir John was prime minister from 1990 until the 1997 general election. That defeat - which saw his party lose power after 18 years - came after Rupert Murdoch's newspaper titles famously switched their support away from the Conservatives to Labour.
Sir John Major was prime minister from 1990 until he lost the 1997 general election to Tony Blair. That defeat came after Rupert Murdoch's newspaper titles famously switched their support away from the Conservatives to Labour. He recalled the dinner with Mr Murdoch on 2 February 1997, during which he said the media mogul told him to change his policy on Europe and warned that his newspapers would not support him if he failed to do so.
He told the inquiry it was "partly my fault that my relationship with the press wasn't too close" but he said a "too close a relationship probably wasn't for me". When he came to power, the then prime minister said he wanted Britain to remain "at the very heart of Europe".
"I was much too sensitive from time to time about what the press wrote. God knows in retrospect why I was, but I was," he told the inquiry. "Mr Murdoch said he really didn't like our European policies," Sir John told inquiry chairman Lord Justice Leveson. "That was no surprise to me."
Sir John added: "He wished me to change our European policies. If we couldn't change our European policies his papers could not, would not support our Conservative government."
But the former PM told the inquiry: "There was no question of me changing our policies."
He said the discussion was one he was unlikely to forget. "It is not often someone sits in front of a prime minister and says to a prime minister 'I would like you to change your policy or my organisation cannot support you'," Sir John added.
In April, Mr Murdoch told the Leveson Inquiry: "I have never asked a prime minister for anything."
He added: "If any politician wanted my opinions on major matters, they only had to read the editorials in the Sun."
Mr Murdoch denied being asked or being offered any favours when he met the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1981. He denied trying to influence her by demonstrating his political allegiance ahead of his bid for Times newspapers.
Sir John said he was not surprised that the Sun switched its support to Labour in 1997.
He said he used to joke that "I went swimming in the Thames, left my clothes on the bank and when I came back Mr Blair was wearing them".
'A bit ratty'
Earlier he told the inquiry: "I was much too sensitive from time to time about what the press wrote. God knows in retrospect why I was, but I was."
"I think you can explain that in human terms. If you pick up the papers each day and read a caricature of what you believe you are doing and what you believe you are then I suppose it's a basic human emotion to get a bit ratty about it.""I think you can explain that in human terms. If you pick up the papers each day and read a caricature of what you believe you are doing and what you believe you are then I suppose it's a basic human emotion to get a bit ratty about it."
He said at the time he was prime minister the press was a "source of wonder".He said at the time he was prime minister the press was a "source of wonder".
"I learned what I thought that I didn't think, what I said that I hadn't said and what I was about to do that I wasn't about to do," he said."I learned what I thought that I didn't think, what I said that I hadn't said and what I was about to do that I wasn't about to do," he said.
He said it "was a bit wearing" and he often over-reacted to coverage, but it was a "human over-reaction". He said it "was a bit wearing" and he often over-reacted to coverage in the newspapers, but it was a "human over-reaction".
"Did I read them too much? Yes I did. Was it hurtful? Yes it was. Did I think it was malicious? I think that's for others to make a judgement," he said."Did I read them too much? Yes I did. Was it hurtful? Yes it was. Did I think it was malicious? I think that's for others to make a judgement," he said.
'Son followed' Sir John said he met Conrad Black, former owner of the Daily Telegraph, six times in seven years, and Rupert Murdoch three times in seven years.
The former PM said he met Conrad Black, former owner of the Daily Telegraph, six times in seven years, and Rupert Murdoch three times in seven years. Black Wednesday
Sir John recalled a meeting with Mr Murdoch in February 1997 - which he told the inquiry he had never previously spoken about. He said the media mogul told him to change his policy on Europe and warned that his newspapers would not support him if he failed to do so.
"It is not very often someone sits in front of a prime minister and says 'I would like you to change your policy and if you do not change your policy our organisation cannot support you'," said Sir John.
Mr Murdoch has previously told the inquiry: "I have never asked a prime minister for anything."
Sir John said he was not surprised that the Sun switched its support to Labour in 1997.
He said he used to joke that "I went swimming in the Thames, left my clothes on the bank and when I came back Mr Blair was wearing them".
At the time, the Sun was edited by Kelvin MacKenzie and Sir John was asked about a phone call he made to Mr MacKenzie in 1992 on "Black Wednesday", when the UK exited the Exchange Rate Mechanism.At the time, the Sun was edited by Kelvin MacKenzie and Sir John was asked about a phone call he made to Mr MacKenzie in 1992 on "Black Wednesday", when the UK exited the Exchange Rate Mechanism.
He said he did not recollect the same conversation that was recounted by Mr MacKenzie, who previously told the inquiry he had warned the then PM that his newspaper's coverage would not be positive.He said he did not recollect the same conversation that was recounted by Mr MacKenzie, who previously told the inquiry he had warned the then PM that his newspaper's coverage would not be positive.
"There are more myths about Black Wednesday than the Greeks ever created," said Sir John."There are more myths about Black Wednesday than the Greeks ever created," said Sir John.
He described the conversation as a "bad mistake" and said it was "not a particularly productive phone call".He described the conversation as a "bad mistake" and said it was "not a particularly productive phone call".
Lead counsel for the inquiry, Robert Jay QC asked Sir John about press intrusion.
He said his office once received a phone call purporting to be from an hospital's accident and emergency department saying they were to operate on his son's girlfriend after an accident, but first they needed to know whether she was pregnant. His son's girlfriend had not been in an accident and was not pregnant, he added.
He also said his 20-year-old son James was pursued by a photographer for the News of the World on a motorbike, who had been "instructed to follow him day and night" to get a story.
The former PM said the examples were "illustrative not exhaustive".
Sir John was also asked about his "back to basics" policy, which some sections of the press criticised at the time.Sir John was also asked about his "back to basics" policy, which some sections of the press criticised at the time.
"Back to basics wasn't a puritanical moral crusade at any time," he said."Back to basics wasn't a puritanical moral crusade at any time," he said.
Mr Miliband, who will give evidence this afternoon, has previously said Mr Cameron's government "bent over backwards" to help Rupert Murdoch's media empire but that Labour had also been "too close to the powerful interests" when it was in power. Labour Leader Ed Miliband and his deputy Harriet Harman are due before the Leveson Inquiry later on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond will appear before the inquiry, at London's Royal Courts of Justice, on Wednesday, while PM David Cameron will appear on Thursday. Mr Miliband has previously said Mr Cameron's government "bent over backwards" to help Rupert Murdoch's media empire but that Labour had also been "too close to the powerful interests" when it was in power.