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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tony Blair rejects claims he 'lobbies' Cameron | Tony Blair rejects claims he 'lobbies' Cameron |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tony Blair has rejected suggestions by David Cameron that he "lobbies" the prime minister about the Middle East. | Tony Blair has rejected suggestions by David Cameron that he "lobbies" the prime minister about the Middle East. |
| The former UK PM was responding to comments by Mr Cameron during an interview about the influence of Tory election guru Lynton Crosby on policy. | The former UK PM was responding to comments by Mr Cameron during an interview about the influence of Tory election guru Lynton Crosby on policy. |
| Mr Cameron said Mr Blair "does lobby me from time to time on things like the Middle East peace process". | Mr Cameron said Mr Blair "does lobby me from time to time on things like the Middle East peace process". |
| A spokesman for Mr Blair, now Middle East peace envoy for the UN, US, EU and Russia, did not "lobby David Cameron". | A spokesman for Mr Blair, now Middle East peace envoy for the UN, US, EU and Russia, did not "lobby David Cameron". |
| "You cannot seriously compare Tony Blair's role as Quartet Representative, which requires him to talk to governments around the world about the Middle East peace process, to that of a lobbyist," he told the Guardian. | "You cannot seriously compare Tony Blair's role as Quartet Representative, which requires him to talk to governments around the world about the Middle East peace process, to that of a lobbyist," he told the Guardian. |
| 'Weasel words' | 'Weasel words' |
| Mr Cameron has faced questions about the influence of Mr Crosby on a government decision to shelve plans to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes. Mr Crosby's company, Crosby Textor, also advises tobacco giant Philip Morris in the UK. | |
| The prime minister has said Mr Crosby has never "lobbied me on anything" - but has been accused of "weasel words" on the issue by Labour leader Ed Miliband, who says that does not rule out them having had a conversation on the issue. | The prime minister has said Mr Crosby has never "lobbied me on anything" - but has been accused of "weasel words" on the issue by Labour leader Ed Miliband, who says that does not rule out them having had a conversation on the issue. |
| The government this week published legislation requiring companies which lobby ministers to declare the names of their clients. | The government this week published legislation requiring companies which lobby ministers to declare the names of their clients. |
| Asked whether Mr Crosby should provide a list of his company's other clients, Mr Cameron said: "The issue of his clients doesn't arise because he is not lobbying me on any issues. He is only discussing political strategy." | Asked whether Mr Crosby should provide a list of his company's other clients, Mr Cameron said: "The issue of his clients doesn't arise because he is not lobbying me on any issues. He is only discussing political strategy." |
| Mr Cameron said he could not be expected to ask for the client list of everyone he spoke to: "Tony Blair is a good example. Tony Blair is someone who does lobby me from time to time on things like the Middle East peace process. | Mr Cameron said he could not be expected to ask for the client list of everyone he spoke to: "Tony Blair is a good example. Tony Blair is someone who does lobby me from time to time on things like the Middle East peace process. |
| "Do I have to know who all Tony Blair's other clients are? If I did that, I don't think I've got enough paper in my office to write them all down on." | "Do I have to know who all Tony Blair's other clients are? If I did that, I don't think I've got enough paper in my office to write them all down on." |
| 'Storm in a teacup' | |
| Boris Johnson - whose successful campaign for re-election as mayor of London was masterminded by Lynton Crosby - told BBC Radio 4's World at One the Australian spin doctor "does not advise on policy". | |
| The Conservative mayor, who described Mr Crosby as a "friend of mine and a brilliant campaign manager", said he had urged Mr Cameron to hire the lobbyist at any cost to help the party win the next general election, | |
| But he dismissed suggestions of a conflict of interest between Mr Crosby's commercial interests and government policy, | |
| Mr Johnson said: "Nothing of that kind ever surfaced during his time as my campaign manager, I would be very surprised indeed if there was any such thing going on now. | |
| "He plays a very, very different kind of role to the one that is being imputed to him now and I think it is a storm in a teacup." |