This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/apr/25/alex-salmond-rupert-murdoch-ties

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Alex Salmond ties to Murdoch revealed Alex Salmond ties to Murdoch revealed
(about 14 hours later)
The burgeoning friendship between Alex Salmond and Rupert Murdoch has been likened to a bromance. The men have exchanged admiring letters, held private dinner dates and received offers to sporting events.The burgeoning friendship between Alex Salmond and Rupert Murdoch has been likened to a bromance. The men have exchanged admiring letters, held private dinner dates and received offers to sporting events.
Murdoch, normally known for his dry cynicism, has released tweets lauding Salmond's radicalism and his political skills. He was, said the News Corporation chairman in one tweet in February, "clearly most brilliant politician in U.K. Gave Cameron back of his hand this week. Loved by Scots."Murdoch, normally known for his dry cynicism, has released tweets lauding Salmond's radicalism and his political skills. He was, said the News Corporation chairman in one tweet in February, "clearly most brilliant politician in U.K. Gave Cameron back of his hand this week. Loved by Scots."
The first hints of the close ties Salmond and Murdoch share came when the first minister, under intense pressure from his opponents, released a swathe of documents last August revealing the full extent of his relationship with the media baron. The first hints of the close ties Salmond and Murdoch share came when the first minister, under intense pressure from his opponents, released a bundle of documents last August revealing the full extent of his relationship with the media baron.
Disclosed four weeks after Murdoch suddenly shutdown his flagship title the News of the World after the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, the letters revealed that the Scottish National party leader had held more than two dozen meetings with Murdoch, his son James, then running News International and BskyB, and other editors and executives from the Murdochs' British media empire.Disclosed four weeks after Murdoch suddenly shutdown his flagship title the News of the World after the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, the letters revealed that the Scottish National party leader had held more than two dozen meetings with Murdoch, his son James, then running News International and BskyB, and other editors and executives from the Murdochs' British media empire.
Salmond's aides insisted his meetings with the Murdochs had been "perfectly proper and reasonable"; in the latest of the five he had with them, the first minister had simply championed Scotland as the best site for further BSkyB investments to add to its existing 6,000 jobs at call centres and technology sites, said his chief spokesman. Salmond's aides insisted his meetings with the Murdochs had been "perfectly proper and reasonable": in the latest of the five he had with them, the first minister had simply championed Scotland as the best site for further BSkyB investments to add to its existing 6,000 jobs at call centres and technology sites, said his chief spokesman.
Asked three times by the Guardian to confirm whether Murdoch and Salmond's meetings to BSkyB's investments had switched to include News International lending the first minister its political backing, he refused to deny that it had. He added: "All I can say is, not to my knowledge." But Salmond's spokesman, Kevin Pringle, was not at those dinners.Asked three times by the Guardian to confirm whether Murdoch and Salmond's meetings to BSkyB's investments had switched to include News International lending the first minister its political backing, he refused to deny that it had. He added: "All I can say is, not to my knowledge." But Salmond's spokesman, Kevin Pringle, was not at those dinners.
In mid-April, at the height of campaigning for the Holyrood elections, the Scottish edition of the Sun had abandoned its long-term support for Labour in Scotland by swinging behind Salmond and the Scottish National party, with devastating effect.In mid-April, at the height of campaigning for the Holyrood elections, the Scottish edition of the Sun had abandoned its long-term support for Labour in Scotland by swinging behind Salmond and the Scottish National party, with devastating effect.
In 2007, the Sun had carried a frontpage image on polling day likening the SNP's looped logo to a hangman's noose with the words: "Vote SNP today and you put Scotland's head in a noose." But four years later, Scotland's largest selling daily paper was ruthless in its demolition of the credibility and personality of the then Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray, and glowing in its support for Salmond.In 2007, the Sun had carried a frontpage image on polling day likening the SNP's looped logo to a hangman's noose with the words: "Vote SNP today and you put Scotland's head in a noose." But four years later, Scotland's largest selling daily paper was ruthless in its demolition of the credibility and personality of the then Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray, and glowing in its support for Salmond.
In early April, the Sun carried an exclusive series on Sir Sean Connery, an SNP supporter, in which the former James Bond star had repeatedly lauded Salmond and the cause of independence from his home near Nassau in the Bahamas.In early April, the Sun carried an exclusive series on Sir Sean Connery, an SNP supporter, in which the former James Bond star had repeatedly lauded Salmond and the cause of independence from his home near Nassau in the Bahamas.
Four days after Salmond's landslide victory, when the SNP swept Labour aside to win an unprecedented majority at Holyrood, David Dinsmore, the then editor of the Scottish Sun, wrote to Salmond to pay tribute to his "astonishing victory".Four days after Salmond's landslide victory, when the SNP swept Labour aside to win an unprecedented majority at Holyrood, David Dinsmore, the then editor of the Scottish Sun, wrote to Salmond to pay tribute to his "astonishing victory".
Now holding the influential role as the Sun's managing editor in London, closely involved in the paper's handling of the Leveson enquiry into hacking at NI, Dinsmore and Salmond had met formally at least five times since January 2008. In February 2010, Dinsmore had invited Salmond and his wife Moira to see Scottish Opera's production of La Boheme in Glasgow. Now holding the influential role as the Sun's managing editor in London, closely involved in the paper's handling of the Leveson inquiry into hacking at NI, Dinsmore and Salmond had met formally at least five times since January 2008. In February 2010, Dinsmore had invited Salmond and his wife Moira to see Scottish Opera's production of La Boheme in Glasgow.
In late October, Salmond was guest of honour when Murdoch came to Scotland to open NI's new state-of-the-art printing presses near Glasgow. Over the coming months, Salmond offered openly offered to use his influence as first minister to arrange exclusive broadcasting deals for Sky television.In late October, Salmond was guest of honour when Murdoch came to Scotland to open NI's new state-of-the-art printing presses near Glasgow. Over the coming months, Salmond offered openly offered to use his influence as first minister to arrange exclusive broadcasting deals for Sky television.
Those included an offer on 31 October 2007 to give Murdoch tickets to see the National Theatre of Scotland's critically-acclaimed drama about Scottish soldiers in the Iraq war, Black Watch. In September 2008, having by then had four meetings and lunches with senior NI and BSkyB executives, including the then Sun editor Rebekah Wade, Salmond offered Murdoch tickets to a Ryder Cup golf tournament in Kentucky as an official guest of the Scottish government.Those included an offer on 31 October 2007 to give Murdoch tickets to see the National Theatre of Scotland's critically-acclaimed drama about Scottish soldiers in the Iraq war, Black Watch. In September 2008, having by then had four meetings and lunches with senior NI and BSkyB executives, including the then Sun editor Rebekah Wade, Salmond offered Murdoch tickets to a Ryder Cup golf tournament in Kentucky as an official guest of the Scottish government.
In February 2009, Salmond asked Murdoch to be his guest of honour at a special pagaent in the Great Hall of Edinburgh castle to celebrate a clans march through the city's historic old town as part of the Homecoming festival. In that letter, Salmond made an unusual offer: he could fix it for Sky to cover the pageant "as an exclusive programming opportunity." Salmond wrote: "I'm sure you will agree the Gathering, and the Pageant in particular, presents a great programming opportunity for Sky and I understand the organisers of the event are willing to discuss the legacy and commercial benefits that would extend from coverage of this momentous event."In February 2009, Salmond asked Murdoch to be his guest of honour at a special pagaent in the Great Hall of Edinburgh castle to celebrate a clans march through the city's historic old town as part of the Homecoming festival. In that letter, Salmond made an unusual offer: he could fix it for Sky to cover the pageant "as an exclusive programming opportunity." Salmond wrote: "I'm sure you will agree the Gathering, and the Pageant in particular, presents a great programming opportunity for Sky and I understand the organisers of the event are willing to discuss the legacy and commercial benefits that would extend from coverage of this momentous event."
Murdoch turned this offer down as he did most others from the first minister. Murdoch also rejected Salmond's offer of joining the GlobalScot network: Scottish Enterprise, the agency which runs it, has disclosed that Murdoch had never responded to its follow-up approaches after his apparent agreement in 2007.Murdoch turned this offer down as he did most others from the first minister. Murdoch also rejected Salmond's offer of joining the GlobalScot network: Scottish Enterprise, the agency which runs it, has disclosed that Murdoch had never responded to its follow-up approaches after his apparent agreement in 2007.
But earlier this year, as his apparent anger with the Leveson inquiry and the collapse of his bid to control BskyB took hold, Murdoch's admiration for Salmond was made abundantly clear and hinted at what may one of the great prizes of all for the first minister: potential support for independence.But earlier this year, as his apparent anger with the Leveson inquiry and the collapse of his bid to control BskyB took hold, Murdoch's admiration for Salmond was made abundantly clear and hinted at what may one of the great prizes of all for the first minister: potential support for independence.
Three days after that, Murdoch had lunch at Bute House with Tom Mockridge, the recently-appointed chief executive of News International. That meeting "focused on News Corporation's substantial economic footprint in Scotland."Three days after that, Murdoch had lunch at Bute House with Tom Mockridge, the recently-appointed chief executive of News International. That meeting "focused on News Corporation's substantial economic footprint in Scotland."
But according to two of Murdoch's most famous British ex-editors, Kelvin McKenzie, once editor of the Sun, and Andrew Neil, formerly in charge of the Sunday Times, there was another topic under discussion. Both men had been led to believe that Murdoch and Salmond floated the possibility that if Salmond won the independence referendum and introduced a cut-rate corporation tax, then Murdoch could relocate BskyB's headquarters to Scotland. It is a claim that Salmond's office has denied.But according to two of Murdoch's most famous British ex-editors, Kelvin McKenzie, once editor of the Sun, and Andrew Neil, formerly in charge of the Sunday Times, there was another topic under discussion. Both men had been led to believe that Murdoch and Salmond floated the possibility that if Salmond won the independence referendum and introduced a cut-rate corporation tax, then Murdoch could relocate BskyB's headquarters to Scotland. It is a claim that Salmond's office has denied.
• This article was amended on 25 April 2012. The original stated Alex Salmond had held more than two dozen meetings with Rupert Murdoch. This has been changed to make clear that the meetings were with Murdoch or his executives.