back to article Jeremy Hunt clings on as SpAd quits over News Corp emails

UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt came under intense pressure to quit today following James Murdoch's revelations at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics. He told MPs at lunchtime in Parliament that he did not want "to jump on a political bandwagon" but added that he did want to "set the record straight" on News Corp's failed …

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  1. Is it me?
    Coat

    And there goes Hunt....

    With appologies to Murry Walker.

  2. Elmer Phud

    Going, going . . .

    "Cameron said that Hunt "has my full support for the excellent job that he does". "

    So that's it then, gone by the end of the week.

    (Ron Knee is 57)

    1. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
      Unhappy

      Re: Going, going . . .

      "arrogant posh boys who show no remorse, no contrition and no passion to understand the lives of others and that's the crime".

      Though said before the revelations, about Cameron and Osborne, it rather sums up the sad reality of this government. I bet Dorries is gone before Hunt. You're either with us or against us and the clique will protect itself.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bullet Proof

    I'm afraid "Jezza" is bullet proof. I was speaking to a mid-ranking Tory over drinks a while back and he thought Hunt was a good bet for a future Tory leader. Bit smarter than many of his peers and has actually lived in the real world apparently.

    Don't shoot the messenger. I only repeat by what I was told by someone on the inside at a completely non-political event by a man who was evidently so bored he was happy to talk to me!

    1. oldredlion
      Childcatcher

      Re: Bullet Proof

      Not sure if he'd be a future leader but he is the Olympics minister and with only a few months to go they will not have time to get someone else in place, so they will do their utmost to keep him in place.

      IMO it will mean uncomfortable press reports for the Government but to try to get someone else in place and up to speed would be even worse - any little problem that befalls the Olympics would be blamed on the new minister and then on Cameron for his lack of judgement, so it would be best for Dave and the Tories if Hunt stays in place.

  4. BoldMan

    What I don't get over all these calls for Hunt to resign is that all that has been released is HEARSAY from one of New International's PR people. There so far isn't ANY evidence that Hunt did or said ANYTHING that these emails say. That and the contact seems to be with one of Hunt's advisors and not with Hunt himself.

    Also remember who it is thatis doing the smearing? MURDOCH!! how can anyone honestly believe anything these people say anymore? Its funny how these emails were released on the day the Murdoch Junior twat was hauled up again and the day before the Senior Murdoch twat is giving evidence so that the media flounders around in an orgiastic round of innuendo and suspicion while attention is drawn away from the Murdoch twats.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Politicians and Journalists

      Shoot first, ask questions later.

      Neither of them care about the truth, only what they can get out of it.

    2. Elmer Phud

      There's a timeline on the Guardian site that shows Hunt's involvement quite clearly.

      1. Oliver 7
        Holmes

        Quite! The implications also point to NI support for the Tories and a smear campaign against Gordon Brown being sewn up prior to the election with the quid pro quo being the docking of Ofcom's and the BBC's tails and the ushering through of the BSkyB deal.

        Of course, this is all hearsay and the trails so far stop one layer short of Hunt and Cameron, but the timings of certain emails, meetings and announcements are almost ridiculously conspicuous. We all know this is the Realpolitik but we are as close as we have ever been to having it all laid bare before us.

        I almost wonder if Murdoch's comments are a shot across the government's bows?

    3. Dom 1

      I wouldn't

      believe anything Hunt says. I wrote to him before the current gov. where elected, voicing my reservations about the Digital Economy Act. His reply was crystal clear - that the Conservative part opposed the bill and would never allow it to be passed. So what happened? The Conservative Party supported the bill and it was passed in "Washup".

      We all knew Murdoch had dirt on the MP's - it was only when it was going to be released. Note too, that Labour are (generally) quiet on this issue - Murdoch must have something really incriminating on them!

      As far as Hunt's innocence goes, are you really suggesting that he knew nothing of what his "Special Advisor" was doing? The buck should stop with him. Hearsay or not, Joe Public has been sent to prison with a lot less evidence.

      Don't get me wrong though, I am no lover of Murdoch. He has far too much power - and it shows.

      1. Captain Underpants

        Re: I wouldn't

        @Dom 1:

        The funny thing is, Hunt got handed the BSkyB takeover bid when Cable was forced to step aside because he had an agenda that made him biased. It's interesting that Hunt isn't yet being forced to step aside for having an agenda that makes him biased...oh wait, a fat brown envelope of some sort was probably involved. BAU then.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I wouldn't

          Possibly a brown envelope, or because he took independent (and public) advice at each stage that supported the bid.

  5. Nev
    Thumb Up

    Jeremy Hunt

    JIm Naughtie got it right on R4's Today Programme....

    1. Vic

      Re: Jeremy Hunt

      > JIm Naughtie got it right on R4's Today Programme....

      i watched Andrew Neill at lunchtime. He was being *very* careful how he pronounced the Minister's name :-)

      Vic.

    2. Richie Hindle

      Re: Jeremy Hunt

      The approved way for a newsreader to pronouce the name is now "Jeremy HHHHHunt".

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      He shall forever be known as ...

      ... the Hulture Secretary.

  6. JetSetJim

    > Cameron said that Hunt "has my full support for the excellent job that he does". He continued: "In judging this important bid the Culture Secretary sought independent advice at every stage, although he did not need to."

    Isn't that just saying the esteemed Culture Secretary didn't have a clue what to do?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      An alternative interpretation is that Mr. Hunt wanted transparency in the decision-making process.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        er, no. jeremy hunt (aka dead man walking) used ofcom and the oft as sock puppets. they would have given him and just call me dave the excuse of a sham "independent and transparent" process which ended up with the outcome that the dirty digger told them to deliver. which was what always going to happen anyway.

        incidentally, the decision on the dirty digger's takeover of sky was rightly taken away from vince cable because he wasn't impartial. so why was it handed over to jeremy hunt who is/was a self-professed cheerleader for sky?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "they would have given him ... the outcome that the dirty digger told them to deliver"

          In the parlance of wikipedia: [citation needed] - do you have any evidence on which to base your accusation that he told them to come to a particular decision? For the record, "he's a politician" does not count as evidence.

          What could Mr. Hunt have done to make the decision-making process clear and transparent? Publishing and following independent (innocent until proven guilty) advice seems like a good way to do that, particularly when he had expressed a view about BSkyB in the past.

  7. Jeebus

    El Reg can you please correct the mistake in your headline and article please.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Isn't this just Murdochs warning shot....

    Murdochs firing a quick shot across the bows, just to remind Cameron what he can do to him if they push things too far.

  9. John A Blackley

    Only the latest

    Murdoch has had 'special relationships' with the government since Mrs. Thatcher's day so either party claiming the other is tainted by that relationship is, well, disingenuous.

    I understand that every Prime Minister since Mrs. T has turned down the Dirty Digger's fondest request - to rename the country 'Murdochia' (but that may be the only one they've turned down.)

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    >"The shadow of sleaze will hang over this government," Miliband sniffed.

    Thought he'd had that seen to?

  11. JaitcH
    Black Helicopters

    Tories stick together like glue, old school tie, What?

    If this one isn't enough of a sacrifice, then there's always Hunt.

    Surprisingly, there are no salacious tid-bits like cross-dressing, homosexuality, orgies, Russia spies, Toy Boys, etc. Quite tame compared to previous Tory incidents How the NofW is missed, by some.

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