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Jeremy Hunt denies Labour claims he lied over BskyB bid Jeremy Hunt denies Labour claims he lied over BSkyB bid
(40 minutes later)
  
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.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 culture secretary told MPs there was a difference between "inadvertently misleading" Parliament and lying.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.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.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. MPs are debating a Labour motion calling for the case to be referred to Sir Alex Allan, the prime minister's adviser on the ministerial code, to find out whether Mr Hunt broke the rules.
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. Mr Hunt gave a statement in March 2011 that all correspondence relating to the BSkyB bid had been made public, but Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said information published a year later by the Leveson Inquiry proved this to be wrong.
'Important''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.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. "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. Prime Minister David Cameron has so far resisted calls to refer Mr Hunt to Sir Alex's office.
Backbench Labour MPs called for Sir Alex to resign, claiming he had not acted impartially and had allowed himself to be used as a political "fig leaf" by the prime minister, after Mr Cameron published letter saying Sir Alex supported his decision not to launch a probe into Mr Hunt's conduct.
Reading from the letter at prime minister's questions, Mr Cameron said the watchdog had told him there was nothing he could "usefully add" to the inquiries being carried out by the Leveson inquiry into press standards.
Mr Cameron also attempted to shrug off the Lib Dems' decision to abstain in the vote which will take place at the end of the debate.
'Badly flawed'
He told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions that he "understands" the motives of his coalition partners and it was just "politics".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.
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".
Nick Clegg has told his Lib Dem MPs to "stay away" from Wednesday's vote.Nick Clegg has told his Lib Dem MPs to "stay away" from Wednesday's vote.
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.
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.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.
He said Parliament was dealing with the issue of whether Mr Hunt had breached the ministerial code. 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.
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.
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.