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IforB
4,967 posts
99 months
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Who are you going to trust here? BBC News said: He recalled the dinner with Mr Murdoch on 2 February 1997, during which he said the media mogul asked him to change his policy on Europe, warning that his newspapers would not support him if he failed to do so.
When he came to power, the then prime minister said he wanted Britain to remain "at the very heart of Europe"
"Mr Murdoch said he really didn't like our European policies," Sir John told inquiry chairman Lord Justice Leveson. "This was no surprise to me."
Sir John added: "He wished me to change our European policies. If we couldn't change our European policies his papers could not and would not support the Conservative government."
But the former PM, who told the inquiry he met Mr Murdoch three times in seven years, said: "There was no question of me changing our policies."
He said the discussion was one he was unlikely to forget. "It is not often someone sits in front of a prime minister and says to a prime minister 'I would like you to change your policy or my organisation cannot support you'," Sir John added.
In April, Mr Murdoch told the Leveson Inquiry: "I have never asked a prime minister for anything."
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wollowizard
6,680 posts
70 months
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rohrl said: wollowizard said: I would say that Gove is hardly a popular/well known figure, most of the population wouldn't even have heard of him. What? He's Secretary of State for Education and has been for the past two years. I'm not sure the UK population are quite as diengaged from politics as you think they are. There was once a poll in which less than 50% of those polled knew Tony Blairs actual position of prime minister, this was conducted during his second term in office. Given Blairs high profile Gove has no chance
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martin84
5,366 posts
23 months
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wollowizard said: There was once a poll in which less than 50% of those polled knew Tony Blairs actual position of prime minister, If the poll was done in Iraq the figure would've been much higher. Every cloud and all that 
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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martin84
5,366 posts
23 months
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The fact most of the population won't have heard of Gove is probably a good thing for him. His appearence and accent is almost a caricature of the stereotypical posh Tory which is hardly popular at the moment. Under the radar is probably the best place for him.
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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martin84 said: The fact most of the population won't have heard of Gove is probably a good thing for him. His appearence and accent is almost a caricature of the stereotypical posh Tory which is hardly popular at the moment. Under the radar is probably the best place for him. He was very good in front of Leveson as was John Major this morning.
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martin84
5,366 posts
23 months
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stevejh said: He was very good in front of Leveson as was John Major this morning. Well I think I follow politics sort of closely and I didn't even know Gove had been at Leveson. The mans a genuis in how he remains annonymous.
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whoami
7,382 posts
110 months
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IforB said: Who are you going to trust here? BBC News said: He recalled the dinner with Mr Murdoch on 2 February 1997, during which he said the media mogul asked him to change his policy on Europe, warning that his newspapers would not support him if he failed to do so.
When he came to power, the then prime minister said he wanted Britain to remain "at the very heart of Europe"
"Mr Murdoch said he really didn't like our European policies," Sir John told inquiry chairman Lord Justice Leveson. "This was no surprise to me."
Sir John added: "He wished me to change our European policies. If we couldn't change our European policies his papers could not and would not support the Conservative government."
But the former PM, who told the inquiry he met Mr Murdoch three times in seven years, said: "There was no question of me changing our policies."
He said the discussion was one he was unlikely to forget. "It is not often someone sits in front of a prime minister and says to a prime minister 'I would like you to change your policy or my organisation cannot support you'," Sir John added.
In April, Mr Murdoch told the Leveson Inquiry: "I have never asked a prime minister for anything." Major.
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whoami
7,382 posts
110 months
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martin84 said: Well I think I follow politics sort of closely and I didn't even know Gove had been at Leveson. 
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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martin84 said: stevejh said: He was very good in front of Leveson as was John Major this morning. Well I think I follow politics sort of closely and I didn't even know Gove had been at Leveson. The mans a genuis in how he remains annonymous. It was Ed Milliband this afternoon who was better than I expected but was a lot less statesmanlike than John Major this morning. I always felt Major was under-rated and over-abused whilst in office but was actually very good and if the Conservatives hadn't imploded in the late '90s the country might have been in a much better state now ie, Blair might not have got in.
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rohrl
3,928 posts
15 months
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Former News International employee Gove used his time at the Leveson Inquiry to tell the world what a wonderful man Rupert Murdoch is.
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martin84
5,366 posts
23 months
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The question should be why would Rupert Murdoch make such a big deal over European policies? What personal or financial interests does/did he have which could be jeopardised by the Conservatives?
You're not telling me he just gets on the phone to the Prime Minister anytime the Government does something he just doesn't like are you?
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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rohrl said: Former News International employee Gove used his time at the Leveson Inquiry to tell the world what a wonderful man Rupert Murdoch is. In your opinion. I actually thought his testimony was very balanced. I suppose I could be a little biased - as you clearly seem to be.
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martin84
5,366 posts
23 months
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Oh yes I think I remember hearing a snippet about Gove's Murdoch fest now. Sorry the man is just so boring I'd put it in my brains recycle bin. Just sounds like another example of people not answering the questions Lord Justice Leveson puts to them. Everybodies turning up and spouting their own opinions about what should/shouldn't be done with the media.
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stevejh
599 posts
74 months
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martin84 said: Oh yes I think I remember hearing a snippet about Gove's Murdoch fest now. Sorry the man is just so boring I'd put it in my brains recycle bin. Just sounds like another example of people not answering the questions Lord Justice Leveson puts to them. Everybodies turning up and spouting their own opinions about what should/shouldn't be done with the media. Well I watched Gove and I'm not sure how anyone apart perhaps from the Guardian and the BBC could describe it as a 'Murdoch fest'. You're probably going to tell me now that it was the Telegraph that called it that. Anyway, to get back on topic. I'm sure Brown lied and I'm sure Piers Morgan lied and I'm sure that a lot of other people have lied quite possibly including Brooks and Murdoch and if they've all lied to a greater or lesser extent then it just shows how low things have sunk that giving evidence 'under oath' means nothing to these people.
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DonkeyApple
12,321 posts
39 months
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martin84 said: The question should be why would Rupert Murdoch make such a big deal over European policies? What personal or financial interests does/did he have which could be jeopardised by the Conservatives?
You're not telling me he just gets on the phone to the Prime Minister anytime the Government does something he just doesn't like are you? My guess would be based around the words 'sports' and 'rights' 
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martin84
5,366 posts
23 months
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The only good bit of this entire enquiry so far is the arrest of Brooks and her sheer arrogance on display in criticising the CPS for having the nerve to charge her. Seeing her chased down the street by legions of bloodthirsty photographers was a wonderful example of 'what goes around comes around' and her attitude shows she actually does think she's above the law. Cameron is keeping Hunt there as his shield, when Hunt finally goes it puts more attention on Cameron and then we can get him out as well, so some good can still come of this
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Derek Smith
16,221 posts
118 months
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whoami said: IforB said: Who are you going to trust here? BBC News said: He recalled the dinner with Mr Murdoch on 2 February 1997, during which he said the media mogul asked him to change his policy on Europe, warning that his newspapers would not support him if he failed to do so.
When he came to power, the then prime minister said he wanted Britain to remain "at the very heart of Europe"
"Mr Murdoch said he really didn't like our European policies," Sir John told inquiry chairman Lord Justice Leveson. "This was no surprise to me."
Sir John added: "He wished me to change our European policies. If we couldn't change our European policies his papers could not and would not support the Conservative government."
But the former PM, who told the inquiry he met Mr Murdoch three times in seven years, said: "There was no question of me changing our policies."
He said the discussion was one he was unlikely to forget. "It is not often someone sits in front of a prime minister and says to a prime minister 'I would like you to change your policy or my organisation cannot support you'," Sir John added.
In April, Mr Murdoch told the Leveson Inquiry: "I have never asked a prime minister for anything." Major. I feel sure that Murdoch never came right out and asked for anything. I am also certain that Major's view, that the requirement of the tories to follow Murdoch's anit-EU stance was very apparent. We've recently had Johnson giving out the same speech as little Jimmy Murdoch's McTaggart lecture attacking the BBC. And we have Murdoch supporting Boris and attacking Cameron. I feel certain there was never any chat between the two suggesting that if Johnson did bad-mouth Sky's main competitor then the Murdoch empire would sing his praises. But quid pro quo doens't need to be spelt out word for word. Little Jimmy gives his speech allowing people to support it or not as they wish. No promises. Yet anyone who was considering their next campign for election will look to Johnson and feel that they should attack the BBC and you never know - but of course you do. No one asked for anything but both parties gain benefits.
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motco
4,796 posts
116 months
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In an episode of 'Yes Minister' information was conveyed from one participant to another by moving a number breadsticks from one holder to another - deniable but clear. The exchanges reported by John Major and denied by Rupert Murdoch would have taken place at this sort of enigmatic level I have no doubt.
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Lost_BMW
10,841 posts
46 months
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Mmmnn... pathological liar against pathological lunatic?
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