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Jeremy Hunt: the 'goody two shoes' caught up in BSkyB scandal Jeremy Hunt: the 'goody two shoes' caught up in BSkyB scandal
(40 minutes later)
The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is struggling to salvage his political career as Labour demanded his resignation for allegedly misleading the Commons and breaching his duty to be impartial over the News Corp bid for BSkyB. The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is struggling to salvage his political career as Labour demanded his resignation for allegedly misleading the House of Commons and breaching his duty to be impartial over the News Corp bid for BSkyB.
Hunt, less than 100 days away from being a central figure at the Olympic Games in London, insisted he would try to stay in office, and was given initial support by David Cameron. Seen once as a plausible future contender for the Conservative leadership and the candidate of the party modernisers, he appears to have blotted his copybook beyond repair. His ability to oversee complex planned communications legislation in the wake of this episode looks doubtful. Hunt, less than 100 days away from being a central figure at the Olympic Games in London, insisted he would try to stay in office and was given initial support by David Cameron. Seen once as a plausible future contender for the Conservative leadership and the candidate of the party modernisers, he appears to have blotted his copybook beyond repair. His ability to oversee complex planned communications legislation in the wake of this episode looks doubtful.
Certainly, as Tory MPs absorbed the full scale of the secret back channel operation Hunt set up to keep News Corp informed about the fate of its bid, there were only intermittent signs of a strong desire to rally to his standard. Few were defending the actions he had taken, and just some said he should be given a chance to put his side of the story. Certainly, as Tory MPs absorbed the full scale of the secret back channel operation Hunt set up to keep News Corp informed about the fate of its bid, there were only intermittent signs of a strong desire to rally to his standard. Few were defending the actions he had taken and just some said he should be given a chance to put his side of the story.
Hunt himself had been placed at a serious disadvantage in that he had not seen any of the emails or texts until they were released by the Leveson inquiry a little after 4.30pm.Hunt himself had been placed at a serious disadvantage in that he had not seen any of the emails or texts until they were released by the Leveson inquiry a little after 4.30pm.
Hunt had presented himself as a man of proven integrity over the bid and there was disbelief among Tory MPs that he could have made such a misjudgment about his contacts with News Corp at a time when he was cast in a quasi-judicial role. He had presented himself as a man of proven integrity over the bid and there was disbelief among Tory MPs that he could have made such a misjudgment about his contacts with News Corp at a time when he was cast in a quasi-judicial role.
Hunt had repeatedly reassured parliament that he had handled the bid in a way that was "completely fair, impartial and above board". On 3 March 2011, he told MPs: "At every stage of this process we have sought to be completely transparent, impartial and fair, which is why today we are publishing all the documents relating to all the meetings – all the consultation documents, all the submissions we received, all the exchanges between my department and News Corporation. People can thereby judge for themselves whether the process has been completely fair, impartial and above board." Hunt had repeatedly reassured parliament that he had handled the bid in a way that was "completely fair, impartial and above board". On 3 March 2011, he told MPs: "At every stage of this process, we have sought to be completely transparent, impartial and fair, which is why today we are publishing all the documents relating to all the meetings – all the consultation documents, all the submissions we received, all the exchanges between my department and News Corporation. People can thereby judge for themselves whether the process has been completely fair, impartial and above board."
On 25 January that year he vowed: "My main concern is not to work to an arbitrary timetable but to ensure that I reach a decision in a fair and even-handed way which is transparent and ensures that all concerns are properly considered." On 25 January, he vowed: "My main concern is not to work to an arbitrary timetable but to ensure that I reach a decision in a fair and even-handed way which is transparent and ensures that all concerns are properly considered."
The contrast between these commitments and what emerged during cross-examination of James Murdoch and then on the Leveson website was too great for Labour to hold back. In a dossier, Labour pointed out Hunt had simply not disclosed all his contacts with News Corp.The contrast between these commitments and what emerged during cross-examination of James Murdoch and then on the Leveson website was too great for Labour to hold back. In a dossier, Labour pointed out Hunt had simply not disclosed all his contacts with News Corp.
Hunt was educated at Charterhouse school before going up to Oxford where he graduated with a first in PPE. His wife is Japanese. The couple have recently had their second child. In opposition he was, along with the cities minister Greg Clark, one of the MPs most deployed by Cameron to put forward the Conservative claim to be the new voice of progressive politics, committed to the environment and social change. He is charming, thoughtful and amusing in private, and one ally said he was "almost a goody two shoes". Hunt was educated at Charterhouse school before going up to Oxford where he graduated with a first in PPE. His wife is Japanese. The couple have recently had their second child. In opposition, he was, along with the cities minister Greg Clark, one of the MPs most deployed by Cameron to put forward the Conservative claim to be the new voice of progressive politics, committed to the environment and social change. He is charming, thoughtful and amusing in private, and one ally said he was "almost a goody two shoes".
At the same time he is fiercely and almost surprisingly ambitious and has a laser-like ability to focus on the small number of items that will give his department profile and a political narrative. He is fiercely and almost surprisingly ambitious and has a laser-like ability to focus on the small number of items that will give his department profile and a political narrative.
A Conservative culture secretary at time of public austerity is never going to be wildly popular with a predominantly liberal arts establishment, but he has intervened sharply over the continuance of racism and homophobia in football. One of his flagship policies, to build a philanthropic culture in the arts, took a serious hit when the budget included plans to cuts tax relief for the rich handing money to the arts. He has not criticised that decision in public, but there has been a widespread view that he was blindsided by the chancellor, George Osborne. He has not briefed against the chancellor's behaviour and that will stand him in good stead with the prime minister. A Conservative culture secretary at time of public austerity is never going to be wildly popular with a predominantly liberal arts establishment, but he has intervened sharply over racism and homophobia in football. One of his flagship policies, to build a philanthropic culture in the arts, took a serious hit when the budget included plans to cuts tax relief for the rich handing money to the arts. He has not criticised that decision in public, but there has been a widespread view that he was blindsided by the chancellor, George Osborne. He has not briefed against the chancellor's behaviour and that will stand him in good stead with the prime minister.
At the same time, he has shown a willingness to cut the culture department using his management consultancy skills to find 25% administrative savings that few would have thought possible. But he has been demanding that the Olympics is not seen as an austerity Games, arguing: "This is going to be an incredible expression of Britain's culture, Britain's history and Britain's creativity." He has shown a willingness to cut the culture department using his management consultancy skills to find 25% administrative savings that few would have thought possible. But he has been demanding that the Olympics is not seen as an austerity Games, arguing: "This is going to be an incredible expression of Britain's culture, Britain's history and Britain's creativity."
Following the release of the emails on Tuesday, Harriet Harman, the shadow culture secretary, immediately went to the Commons to demand Hunt come to the house to apologise and resign. She told the BBC: "You cannot have behind-the-scenes engagement and also pretend you are acting like a judge. Clearly there was ongoing contact that was incompatible. There has been a slew of documents and contacts that were kept from MPs." Following the release of the emails, Harriet Harman, the shadow culture secretary, immediately went to the Commons to demand Hunt come to the house to apologise and resign. She told the BBC: "You cannot have behind-the-scenes engagement and also pretend you are acting like a judge. Clearly there was ongoing contact that was incompatible. There has been a slew of documents and contacts that were kept from MPs."
Hunt may also face protest from senior civil servants. Both the former cabinet secretary Lord O'Donnell and the culture department's permanent secretary, Jonathan Stephens, will have strong views about Hunt setting up a back channel to News Corp of which they almost certainly had no knowledge. Hunt may also face protests from senior civil servants. The former cabinet secretary, Lord O'Donnell, and the culture department's permanent secretary, Jonathan Stephens, will have strong views about Hunt setting up a back channel to News Corp of which they almost certainly had no knowledge.
O'Donnell will feel the issue especially keenly since he made a ruling that Hunt was an impartial figure and should be allowed to be responsible for handling the takeover bid once the responsibility was taken from Vince Cable and the business department. O'Donnell will feel the issue especially keenly since he made the ruling that Hunt was an impartial figure and should be allowed to be responsible for handling the takeover bid once the responsibility was taken from Vince Cable and the business department.
O'Donnell may well feel he was not given a full account of what Hunt had been doing.O'Donnell may well feel he was not given a full account of what Hunt had been doing.
Similarly, the culture department's civil service specifically instructed Hunt not to meet James Murdoch on 15 November since the strong legal advice was "the current process is treated as a judicial one not a policy one, and any meeting could be referred to and jeopardise the whole process".Similarly, the culture department's civil service specifically instructed Hunt not to meet James Murdoch on 15 November since the strong legal advice was "the current process is treated as a judicial one not a policy one, and any meeting could be referred to and jeopardise the whole process".
Yet Fréd Michel tells James Murdoch: "You could have a chat with him on his mobile which is completely fine and I will liaise with his team privately." Yet Frédéric Michel, News Corp's director of public affairs, tells James Murdoch: "You could have a chat with him on his mobile which is completely fine and I will liaise with his team privately."
Again on 24 December, when Hunt took formal ministerial responsibility for the bid, Hunt declared that he could not hold a meeting with James Murdoch. Yet at 5.25pm Michel spoke to "JH" and reported to Murdoch: "[He] said he was very happy for me to be the point of contact with him/Adam on behalf of James Murdoch going forward. Very important to avoid giving the anti any opportunity to attack the fairness of the process and fine to liaise at that political level." On 24 December, when Hunt took formal ministerial responsibility for the bid, Hunt declared he could not hold a meeting with James Murdoch. Yet Michel spoke to "JH" at 5.25pm and reported to Murdoch: "[He] said he was very happy for me to be the point of contact with him/Adam on behalf of James Murdoch going forward. Very important to avoid giving the anti any opportunity to attack the fairness of the process and fine to liaise at that political level."
Hunt's official initial defence is that he is willing to release his phone call logs to show his contacts were not as frequent as it appears from the evidence. The implication was that Michel was a fantasist who had exaggerated his contacts to impress his employers.Hunt's official initial defence is that he is willing to release his phone call logs to show his contacts were not as frequent as it appears from the evidence. The implication was that Michel was a fantasist who had exaggerated his contacts to impress his employers.
Yet on the basis of the information on the Leveson website Hunt has handed over both commercially confidential and market-sensitive information to News Corp at a time when he was in a quasi-judicial capacity, repeatedly giving insight into his and the government's thinking. He also seemed to be prepared privately to tell News Corp that he was highly critical of the attitude of the chairman of Ofcom Ed Richards. He also discloses that he knows aspects of the News Corp state of knowledge that he was not supposed to know. At one point Hunt's office, according to Michel, was handed News Corp information in a way that Michel stated was "absolutely illegal". However, on the basis of the information on the Leveson website, Hunt handed News Corp commercially confidential and market-sensitive information at a time when he was in a quasi-judicial capacity, repeatedly giving insight into his and the government's thinking. He also seemed to be prepared privately to tell News Corp that he was highly critical of the attitude of the chairman of Ofcom, Ed Richards. He also discloses that he knows aspects of the News Corp state of knowledge that he was not supposed to know. At one point, Hunt's office, according to Michel, handed over information in a way that Michel stated was "absolutely illegal".
One significant voice came out to defend Hunt: the Conservative chairman of the culture select committee, John Whittingdale.One significant voice came out to defend Hunt: the Conservative chairman of the culture select committee, John Whittingdale.
Due to publish his own committee's report into the Murdoch affair, he said: "I have seen no evidence to suggest that Jeremy Hunt's actions were anything other than wholly proper. There is a lynch mob out there seeking Jeremy's resignation. He is a man of considerable integrity. I would like to hear his account."Due to publish his own committee's report into the Murdoch affair, he said: "I have seen no evidence to suggest that Jeremy Hunt's actions were anything other than wholly proper. There is a lynch mob out there seeking Jeremy's resignation. He is a man of considerable integrity. I would like to hear his account."
Hunt received robust support from Cameron, who believes Hunt has always followed the official advice given to him. It was stressed that Michel said in his witness statement that "JH" was in reality mainly a reference to Hunt's office, and almost invariably meant Hunt's special adviser Adam Smith. But Michel had reason to believe that Smith was acting with the authority of Hunt, and would have been aware of these contacts and sanctioned them as a true account of his thinking. Hunt received robust support from Cameron, who believes Hunt has always followed the official advice given to him. It was stressed that Michel said in his witness statement that "JH" was in reality mainly a reference to Hunt's office, and almost invariably meant Hunt's special adviser, Adam Smith. But Michel had reason to believe that Smith was acting with the authority of Hunt and would have been aware of these contacts and sanctioned them as a true account of his thinking.
There will also be a nervous understanding inside Number 10 that if Hunt goes, questions will start lapping ever closer to the door of Downing Street about the scale of the prime minister's contacts with Murdoch about the bid. After this treasure trove of emails, Number 10 will be concerned that another secret cache will be released to Leveson, damaging senior figures in Number 10. They also cannot any longer be sure of the motives of increasingly irascible Murdoch clan. There will be a nervous understanding inside No 10 that if Hunt goes, questions will start lapping ever closer to the door of Downing Street about the scale of the prime minister's contacts with Murdoch about the bid. After this treasure trove of emails, No 10 will be concerned that another secret cache will be released to Leveson, damaging senior government figures. They also cannot any longer be sure of the motives of increasingly irascible Murdoch clan.
Hunt at the least was in a special quasi-judicial role and so in a uniquely sensitive position. For that reason he may be expendable. Hunt at the very least was in a special quasi-judicial role and so in a uniquely sensitive position. For that reason, he may be expendable.