There is widespread press coverage today about this. For example, the Independent reports:
A senior Liberal Democrat has said culture secretary Jeremy Hunt should have resigned following his evidence to the Leveson Inquiry about News Corp’s failed takeover of BSkyB.
Lord Oakeshott, who was one of Vince Cable’s closest colleagues when the business secretary was overseeing News Corp’s ill-fated bid, said Rupert Murdoch’s empire was treated differently from other firms by the Government and criticised Mr Hunt, saying “no self-respecting minister” would have stayed in his post.
* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.
Follow @LibDemVoice on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Now Boris Johnson has lost the support of the Daily Mail
Where does Liverpool go now after Council's consultation debacle
Striking a deal with the SNP
Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend
Cassie
Peter Watson
Joseph Gerald Bourke
Brad Barrows
Jeff
6 Comments
I agree totally. Lord Oakshott, who was high in my esteem, has just gone up a lot further. I don’t know about the internal politics of the LibDems and therefore how he is regarded within the party, but (in my opinion) this man should be an importnant ‘representative face’ of the party.
Cameron asserted on the Andrew Marr show on 3rd June that he wanted Vince Cable to take the decision but Cable had to be removed because of his public view of Murdoch & Jeremy Hunt, with a public & opposite view, could be trusted to behave impeccably which, (according to Cameron) Hunt has done. Thus there is no need to refer Hunt to any further scrutiny. So, according to Cameron, Hunt Has the mental discipline to set aside his personal views when dealing with a professional matter [ an opinion that Hunt also offered to Leveson] but Vince Cable can not. That is a truly outrageous & breathtakingly offensive suggestion. It demonstrates that Cameron has a severe problem with the meaning of integrity. And his confusion over the word gets worse. He has rushed to offer up Baroness Warsi to investigation. The man is totally unfit to be a leader of anything let alone be Prime Minister. The reality, of course, is that Cameron & his cronies always intended to let Murdoch have the whole of BSkyB as the next logical step to the destruction of the BBC. If, post a Murdoch win, it all went belly up how marvellous to have a LibDem to blame. Cable [and Danny Alexander], by refusing to meet Murdoch’s lobbyists and behaving with total probity, was putting that beautiful strategy at risk so he had to be got rid of. Thank God for ‘phone hacking.
If Hunt does not resign, it is a deep insult to our party. Vince Cable was forced to resign from his involvement with these issues due to having shown a biased view on Mr Murdoch. So now we find his replacement on these matters is someone whose bias on Mr Murdoch is far stronger, so much more than a casual remark made to constituents, and he stays on? And we as a party stay silent? Oh, come on. Show some LEADERSHIP, Mr Clegg. This is where YOU should be standing up for the party you have been appointed by US to lead. All that is being asked is equal treatment for ministers from the Tory party as is given to ministers from our party. You, Mr Clegg should be making it absolutely clear that Hunt should resign NOW, otherwise YOU will lead the resignation of ALL Liberal Democrat ministers from this government. If you do not do this, you are a doormat.
Why have we not yet had an investigation of apparently credible allegations that Hunt has far closer and undeclared business links to Murdoch than have yet been revealed?
http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/exclusive-hunt-business-links-to-newscorp-revealed/
@Liberal Eye
Very shocking, even if half these financial connections between Hunt and Murdoch are correct. After all, why would the Culture Secretary be minded jeopardize what appears to be a handy income stream?
Incidentally, has there been any further news of this man’s undeclared receipt of donations made by arts and media companies, including M&C Saatchi and The Groucho Club, to his personal networking machine? A mere trifle by comparison with the above, but somehow indicative of a certain modus operandi.
The difference is perhaps in the perceived strength of characters of the two men.
Cable was not just biassed, but also foolish enough to be duped into pompous boasting by a couple of hot giggling girls who later turned out to be hard-nosed reporters. Hunt by contrast was just biassed.