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Wednesday, 27 July 2011

George Osborne met News International chiefs 16 times

Chancellor George Osborne has had 16 separate meetings with executives from Rupert Murdoch's companies since last May's election, new data shows.
Labour leader Ed Miliband had 15 meetings or social contacts with News International executives over the same period, while PM David Cameron had 26.
Mr Cameron has orde to be published.
It comes amid fears politicians have become too close to the Murdoch empire.
Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband and Deputy PM Nick Clegg had already published a list of their meetings with media executives last week - after new allegations about phone hacking at the News of the World emerged, prompting News Corporation to close the newspaper, withdraw its bid to fully take over BSkyB and for Mr Murdoch and his son to give evidence before a Parliamentary committee.
Six dinners On Tuesday the Cabinet Office published its quarterly list of ministers' gifts, hospitality and overseas trips - but has also included for the first time cabinet ministers meetings with media organisations, dating back to May 2010.
Michael Gove's spokesman
Mr Osborne may have met News International executives the most since the election, the figures suggest, but his cabinet colleague Michael Gove appears to have had more dinners with Rupert Murdoch.
The education secretary, a former Times journalist, had 12 meetings at which News International executives were present, including six dinners at which Rupert Murdoch was present - twice in June 2011, at the height of the phone hacking scandal.
The purpose of Mr Osborne's two meetings with Rupert Murdoch - in May and December - are described as "general discussion".
He also had 38 meetings with executives from other media organisations.
A spokesman for Mr Gove said: "Michael worked for the BBC and News International and his wife works for News International now. He's known Rupert Murdoch for over a decade. He did not discuss the BSkyB deal with the Murdochs and isn't at all embarrassed about his meetings, most of which have been about education."
Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt met Rupert Murdoch twice socially since the general election, in May 2010 at an evening reception and Mr Murdoch was present at a speech he gave in October 2010, according to figures just published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
'Declared war' He met James Murdoch, the head of News Corp's Europe and Asia businesses, three times and Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News International and News of the World editor, once.
He met BBC Director General Mark Thompson seven times since the election.
In December Business Secretary Vince Cable was stripped of his powers to rule on News Corporation's bid to fully take over BSkyB - after he was recorded by undercover reporters saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch.
The responsibility was then handed to Mr Hunt - two of his meetings with James Murdoch took place the month after, in January 2011, and are described as being held to "set out the process around the proposed BSkyB/News Corp merger".
Sources close to the culture secretary say the minutes of his meetings with James Murdoch will be published in the coming weeks.
Minutes of a meeting with media groups opposed to the News Corp bid will also be published.
Mr Cable did not meet Rupert or James Murdoch - but has listed a meeting with Times editor James Harding in his list, as well as meetings with Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre and Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger.

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