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David Cameron defends handing BSkyB decision to Jeremy Hunt David Cameron defends handing BSkyB decision to Jeremy Hunt
(about 3 hours later)
David Cameron has defended handing the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, the task of overseeing News Corporation's controversial bid for BSkyB, saying it was "not some rushed, botched political decision".David Cameron has defended handing the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, the task of overseeing News Corporation's controversial bid for BSkyB, saying it was "not some rushed, botched political decision".
The prime minister told the Leveson inquiry on Thursday afternoon that he had been presented "with a situation I didn't want" after the business secretary, Vince Cable, was stripped of responsibility for the £8bn bid on 21 December 2010. Cable was recorded by undercover Daily Telegraph reporters saying he had declared war on Rupert Murdoch.The prime minister told the Leveson inquiry on Thursday afternoon that he had been presented "with a situation I didn't want" after the business secretary, Vince Cable, was stripped of responsibility for the £8bn bid on 21 December 2010. Cable was recorded by undercover Daily Telegraph reporters saying he had declared war on Rupert Murdoch.
Cameron said it was suggested by Sir Jeremy Heywood, the permanent secretary at No 10 at the time, that the decision be transferred to Hunt. He added it that this was endorsed by the then cabinet secretary, Gus O'Donnell, and backed by legal advice.Cameron said it was suggested by Sir Jeremy Heywood, the permanent secretary at No 10 at the time, that the decision be transferred to Hunt. He added it that this was endorsed by the then cabinet secretary, Gus O'Donnell, and backed by legal advice.
"So I accept there is controversy, but I think the backing of, as it were, two permanent secretaries and a lawyer is quite a strong state of affairs," said Cameron."So I accept there is controversy, but I think the backing of, as it were, two permanent secretaries and a lawyer is quite a strong state of affairs," said Cameron.
The prime minister added that he was aware of what the culture secretary had said in public about the BSkyB bid, but did not recall a private memo sent to him by Hunt on 19 November 2010 in which he further outlined his support for the bid.The prime minister added that he was aware of what the culture secretary had said in public about the BSkyB bid, but did not recall a private memo sent to him by Hunt on 19 November 2010 in which he further outlined his support for the bid.
"It wasn't received on my email system," Cameron said. "The issue here is I don't particularly remember this note, and crucially, I didn't recall its existence on the day of 21 December when we were making this decision [to put Hunt in charge of the bid].""It wasn't received on my email system," Cameron said. "The issue here is I don't particularly remember this note, and crucially, I didn't recall its existence on the day of 21 December when we were making this decision [to put Hunt in charge of the bid]."
Cameron said the decision had to be made "relatively rapidly", partly because of the pressures of the 24-hour news environment.Cameron said the decision had to be made "relatively rapidly", partly because of the pressures of the 24-hour news environment.
But he denied a suggestion by Robert Jay QC, lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry, that the decision had to be made "on the hoof" because Treasury solicitor Paul Jenkins was on holiday at the time and had to give advice over the phone.But he denied a suggestion by Robert Jay QC, lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry, that the decision had to be made "on the hoof" because Treasury solicitor Paul Jenkins was on holiday at the time and had to give advice over the phone.
"It was not some rushed, botched political decision," said Cameron. "If anyone had told me that Jeremy Hunt couldn't do the job, I wouldn't have given him the job.""It was not some rushed, botched political decision," said Cameron. "If anyone had told me that Jeremy Hunt couldn't do the job, I wouldn't have given him the job."
The prime minister added that he had "no inappropriate conversations" about the bid with anyone from News Corporation, but did discuss it briefly with James Murdoch at a social event on 23 December 2010, also attended by Rebekah and Charlie Brooks.The prime minister added that he had "no inappropriate conversations" about the bid with anyone from News Corporation, but did discuss it briefly with James Murdoch at a social event on 23 December 2010, also attended by Rebekah and Charlie Brooks.
"While I cannot remember the exact words I believe I said what Vince Cable had said about News Corporation was wrong and I am sure that I would have said that while I recused myself from the decision it would now be dealt with impartially, properly and in the correct way," Cameron said."While I cannot remember the exact words I believe I said what Vince Cable had said about News Corporation was wrong and I am sure that I would have said that while I recused myself from the decision it would now be dealt with impartially, properly and in the correct way," Cameron said.
Jay suggested that following the Milly Dowler phone hacking revelations in July 2011, Cameron was very keen "for political reasons ... to derail the BSkyB bid". Jay suggested that following the Milly Dowler phone hacking revelations in July 2011, Cameron was very keen "for political reasons … to derail the BSkyB bid".
"I wouldn't quite put it like that," replied the prime minister. "The point was, with all that was emerging in terms of the dreadful news about the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, that the public was rightly very angry about what had happened."I wouldn't quite put it like that," replied the prime minister. "The point was, with all that was emerging in terms of the dreadful news about the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, that the public was rightly very angry about what had happened.
"While there was, quite rightly, a quasi-judicial procedure taking place, there was a broader issue of the views of the House of Commons, the views of the country, and the need to reflect those. And this obviously was difficult.""While there was, quite rightly, a quasi-judicial procedure taking place, there was a broader issue of the views of the House of Commons, the views of the country, and the need to reflect those. And this obviously was difficult."
Cameron, who was in Afghanistan when the Guardian's Milly Dowler story broke, said his public statements were along the lines of: "If I was running this company, I wouldn't be considering a corporate move. I would be cleaning up the mess that there is.Cameron, who was in Afghanistan when the Guardian's Milly Dowler story broke, said his public statements were along the lines of: "If I was running this company, I wouldn't be considering a corporate move. I would be cleaning up the mess that there is.
"I thought that was just about consistent with there being a quasi-judicial process, but the House of Commons can vote on these issues, and rightly so.""I thought that was just about consistent with there being a quasi-judicial process, but the House of Commons can vote on these issues, and rightly so."