Daily Archives: July 6, 2011

Elizabeth Rigby Hunt in a bind over BSkyB

July 6, 2011 8:14 pm by Elizabeth Rigby

This Friday was meant to draw to a close Rupert Murdoch’s dogged pursuit of British Sky Broadcasting. The final consultation over, everyone expected the broadcaster to finally fall into the hands of News Corp – on the condition that the media mogul spins off the Sky News service as a separate company.

The phone hacking scandal has thrown News Corp’s pursuit of BSkyB back into the lion pit. Ed Miliband demanded today that the government refer the bid to the Competition Commission to a chorus of approval from MPs in the Commons. Read more

Posted in UK politics |

Kiran Stacey Tories look like they’re on the wrong side of public opinion on phone hacking

July 6, 2011 6:31 pm by Kiran Stacey

Andy Coulson leave Number 10David Cameron did not have an easy PMQs today. Ed Miliband took the most of the opportunity and made him squirm over phone hacking at the News of the World.

There is no reason Labour should necessarily be making the running on this: it is essentially a non-political matter that politicians could unite behind to give journalists a good kicking. And that’s what Cameron tried to do: backing calls for a public inquiry into the allegations and inviting the other party leaders for talks on how that inquiry should proceed.

The problem is that he is on the back foot about other elements of this story: the bid by News Corp for BSkyB and his relationship with both Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks. Read more

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Posted in Conservatives, David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Labour |

Live blog: PMQs and emergency debate on hacking

July 6, 2011 2:05 pm by FT

Coverage as it happened of Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions and the parliamentary debate on phone hacking at the News of the World. The debate followed shock allegations that the tabloid hacked into the mobile phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler. Read more

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Posted in David Cameron, UK politics |