Lib Dem abstention in Hunt vote is just 'politics', says Cameron
Jeremy Hunt denies Labour claims he lied over BskyB bid
(40 minutes later)
David Cameron has attempted to shrug off the Lib Dems' decision to abstain in a vote over the future of Tory Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Jeremy Hunt has clashed with a Labour MP who accused him of lying to Parliament over his handling of News Corps' takeover bid for BSkyB.
The PM said he "understands" the motives of his coalition partners and said it was just "politics".
The culture secretary told MPs there was a difference between "inadvertently misleading" Parliament and lying.
And he challenged Labour MP Chris Bryant to produce evidence.
Speaker John Bercow rejected Conservative calls to eject Mr Bryant from the Commons over the accusation.
Mr Bryant intervened again to say he has a "great deal of evidence" suggesting the culture secretary had lied to Parliament, which he would reveal later in a speech.
Mr Hunt gave a statement in March 2011 that all correspondence relating to the BSkyB bid had been made public, but Labour deputy leader said information published a year later by the Leveson Inquiry proved this to be wrong.
'Important'
Ms Harman said there was "prima facie" evidence that Mr Hunt had broken the ministerial code over this issue - and the conduct of his special adviser Adam Smith, who was forced to quit over his contacts with BSkyB.
"The ministerial code is important. We cannot allow breaches of the code to be swept under the carpet, " she told MPs.
Ahead of the debate David Cameron attempted to shrug off the Lib Dems' decision to abstain in the vote which will take place at the end of the debate.
He told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions that he "understands" the motives of his coalition partners and it was just "politics".
He also suggested the ministerial watchdog had backed his decision not to launch a probe into Mr Hunt's conduct.
He also suggested the ministerial watchdog had backed his decision not to launch a probe into Mr Hunt's conduct.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said the PM's judgement was "so badly flawed even his own deputy won't support him".
Labour leader Ed Miliband said the PM's judgement was "so badly flawed even his own deputy won't support him".
Labour wants an inquiry into whether Mr Hunt broke the ministerial code in his handling of News Corp's bid for BSkyB.
Nick Clegg has told his Lib Dem MPs to "stay away" from Wednesday's vote.
But Nick Clegg has told his Lib Dem MPs to "stay away" from the vote, expected later on Wednesday.
Many in the party are angry that David Cameron backed Mr Hunt minutes after he told the Leveson Inquiry he had acted impartially over the takeover bid.
Many in the party are angry that David Cameron backed Mr Hunt minutes after he told the Leveson Inquiry he had acted impartially over the takeover bid.
Mr Cameron attempted to seize the initiative at Prime Minister's Questions by revealing that he had a letter from his adviser on the ministerial code, Sir Alex Allen, saying there was nothing he could "usefully add" by investigating Mr Hunt's handling of the BSkyB takeover bid.
But Mr Clegg in his evidence to the Leveson inquiry, repeated his backing for Mr Hunt, saying the culture secretary had given a "full, good and convincing account" of his handling the BSkyB bid.
'Whole strategy'
He said Parliament was dealing with the issue of whether Mr Hunt had breached the ministerial code.
But Labour leader Ed Miliband went on the attack and said the Leveson inquiry had not looked into the question of whether Mr Hunt had "misled Parliament".
Mr Miliband told Mr Cameron: "The truth is you won't refer him (Mr Hunt) to the independent adviser because he is scared the Culture Secretary won't be cleared."
MPs are debating a Labour motion calling for Mr Hunt to be referred to Sir Alex.
The Lib Dems will abstain on the motion after it emerged Mr Clegg had privately urged the prime minister to call in Sir Alex.
Mr Miliband said the prime minister's judgment was "so badly flawed even his own deputy won't support him".
But Mr Cameron said Sir Alex's letter meant Mr Miliband's "whole political strategy" had collapsed.
Sir Alex's letter, which has been released by Downing Street, was in reply to one from Mr Cameron, both dated 13 June, and come ahead of Mr Cameron's appearance before the Leveson Inquiry on Thursday.
It says: "I note your decision in relation to Jeremy Hunt's adherence to the Ministerial Code which is of course a matter for you.
"The fact that there is an on-going judicial Inquiry probing and taking evidence under oath means that I do not believe that I could usefully add to the facts in this case though I remain available should circumstances change or new evidence emerge."
Mr Clegg, who is Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader, has reportedly complained that he was not consulted before the prime minister made the decision not refer Mr Hunt to Sir Alex.
But Tory MPs are accusing the Lib Dems of undermining coalition unity, with one of them, Louise Mensch, saying they were "being silly".
The party's deputy chairman, Michael Fallon, called the decision "slightly disappointing".
'Nobody's interested'
Mr Hunt will defend himself when he responds for the government during the debate, while Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman is expected to repeat calls for him to resign.
Even if all 57 Lib Dems abstain, the motion is likely to fail, as Tory MPs outnumber those on the Labour benches and from other parties.
They cheered, they thumped the tables, then they decided to leave Jeremy Hunt to fend for himself.
The meeting of the Liberal Democrats in committee room 11 ended with "unanimous" agreement, I am told, that MPs from the coalition's junior partner should "stay away" from Wednesday's vote.
Nick Clegg's lot are angry about the speed at which David Cameron cleared his culture secretary of any wrong doing, within hours of his Leveson appearance last month.
The deputy prime minister wasn't consulted beforehand.
They believe there are still questions to answer. They believe it should have been a coalition issue.
"You can't act with impunity" on this, one Lib Dem said to me.
So they are reminding their Tory partners that this is a government of two.
Contrast that with the message from Conservative high command that this is about party politics, not coalition politics.
The problem for the Cabinet minister arguing that case is that everything comes down to coalition politics.
Mr Hunt has been accused of having too close a relationship with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp before and during the BSkyB takeover process, in which he was given a "quasi-judicial" role.
Labour is demanding an investigation into whether he breached the ministerial code by failing to give "accurate and truthful information to Parliament" over his contacts during the bid process and by failing to "take responsibility" for his special adviser, Adam Smith.
Mr Smith resigned after admitting the number and tone of messages he exchanged with News Corp lobbyist Frederic Michel about the Sky bid had been inappropriate.
The prime minister gave his backing to Mr Hunt just minutes after the culture secretary gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on press standards.
The BBC understands a number of Lib Dem MPs had wanted to vote with Labour and against Mr Hunt, but Mr Clegg argued this would put them in an impossible position with their Conservative coalition partners and recommended they abstain instead.
Lib Dem MP Don Foster said: "Nick Clegg was absolutely clear from the outset that if, after Jeremy Hunt's appearance at Leveson, questions still remain, they need to be properly addressed.
"He wasn't consulted by the prime minister on his decision not to refer Jeremy Hunt to the independent advisor and therefore he cannot condone that decision."
Mr Clegg is giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry ahead of the parliamentary debate and Mr Cameron will be cross-examined over his handling of the BSkyB bid and allegations against Mr Hunt on Thursday.
News Corp dropped its bid to take full control of BSkyB last year, following the revelations of phone hacking at its News of the World newspaper, which was closed down following the scandal.
