Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has told the Leveson Inquiry that Labour leader Gordon Brown \u201cdeclared war\u201d on News Corp after the Sun moved to back the Conservatives in 2009.<\/p>\n
Appearing before the inquiry today, Murdoch described a phone conversation between the pair, during which the veteran newspaper proprietor told the then Prime Minister that the newspaper would be backing a change of government in the next election.<\/p>\n
Telling the court that he did not think Brown was in a \u201cvery balanced state of mind\u201d during the call, Murdoch explained that the politician had called on the day of his party conference speech in 2009 after hearing about the paper’s altered political allegiance.<\/p>\n
Murdoch said: \u201cMr Brown did call me and said ‘Rupert, do you know what\u2019s going on here?’ I said ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘Well the Sun and what it\u2019s doing.’ I said ‘I\u2019m sorry to tell you Gordon, but we will support a change of government when there\u2019s an election.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite suggestions from former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie that Brown \u201croared\u201d at Murdoch for 20 minutes, Murdoch insisted that there were no raised voices during the conversation.<\/p>\n
Describing his relationship with Brown to the court, Murdoch said: \u201cMy personal relationship with Brown was always warm — before he became Prime Minister and after. I regret that after the Sun came at him, that\u2019s not so true but I only hope that can be repaired.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Murdoch added that Brown made a \u201ctotally outrageous statement\u201d when he described News Corp as a \u201ccriminal organisation,\u201d after alleging that his health records had been hacked.<\/p>\n
“He said that we had hacked into his personal medical records when knew very well how the Sun had found out about his son which was very sad”, Murdoch told the court, who went on to explain that the story relating to Brown’s son\u2019s Cystic Fibrosis had been obtained from a father in a similar situation.<\/p>\n
To allegations that he traded favours with Tony Blair, Murdoch repeatedly denied the suggestion: \u201cYou are making inferences. I never asked Mr Blair for anything, and neither did I receive anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
The court heard that Murdoch was slow to endorse the Labour party in 1994, but he denied that that was part of a strategy to gauge commercial interests.\u00a0Later in his testimony, somewhat losing his patience, Murdoch added to Robert Jay, QC: \u201cI don’t know how many times I have to state to you Mr Jay, that I never let commercial considerations get in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a 1994 dinner with Blair, Murdoch acknowledged that he may have said \u201cHe says all the right things but we’re not letting our pants down just yet\u201d, but could not remember exactly.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Murdoch did not recall speculating on the future of his relationship with Blair, when he reportedly said: \u201cIf our flirtation is ever consummated Tony we will make love like porcupines — very, very carefully.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning to his relationship with David Cameron, Murdoch denied saying he \u201cdidn\u2019t think much\u201d of the Conservative party leader. He recalled meeting him at a family picnic at his daughter’s house, and was \u201cextremely impressed by the kindness and feeling he showed to his children\u201d.<\/p>\n
When asked if he discussed issues such as broadcast regulation, BBC license fees or Ofcom, Murdoch denied the allegations. He said: \u201cYou keep inferring that endorsements were motivated by business motives. If that were the case we would always have supported the Tories, because they\u2019re always more pro-business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jay asked if he and Cameron discussed the appointment of ex-News of the World editor Andy Coulson as spin doctor for the Conservative party. Murdoch explained to the court that he \u201cwas as surprised as everybody else\u201d by the appointment.<\/p>\n
Murdoch denied rumours that he hadn\u2019t forgiven David Cameron for calling the inquiry, explaining that the state of media in the UK is of “absolutely vital interest to all it\u2019s citizens”, and adding that he welcomed the opportunity to appear before the court because he “wanted to put certain myths to bed.”<\/p>\n
The billionaire newspaper owner was also asked about his relationships with numerous other politicians, including Scottish politician Alex Salmond and former Prime Minister John Major. Murdoch also told the court that he “remained a great admirer” of Margaret Thatcher, but denied that he was “one of the main powers behind the Thatcher throne.”<\/p>\n
Murdoch echoes his son James’ testimony, saying that relationships between the media and politicans were “part of the democratic process”. He added: “Politicians go out of their way to impress people in the press. All politicians of all sides like to have their views known by the editors and publishers of newspapers, hoping they will be put across, hoping they will succeed in impressing people. That\u2019s the game.”<\/p>\n
At the start of today’s hearing, Lord Justice Leveson responded to the furore relating to emails from Jeremy Hunt revealed during James Murdoch\u2019s testimony to the court yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am acutely aware from considerable experience that documents such as these cannot always be taken at face value and can frequently bare more than one evaluation. I am not taking sides or expressing opinion but it is very important to hear every side of the story. In due course we will hear all relevant evidence from all relevant people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rupert Murdoch’s evidence to the inquiry will continue at 10am tomorrow.<\/p>\n