It was as plain as a pikestaff that something very wrong had happened when – a month ago – both the extent and nature of the contacts between Jeremy Hunt’s office and News International were first revealed.
The concerns raised were serious, and it was important that the Culture secretary took them seriously.
But he did not.
Hunt instead went to the Commons and did a tub-thumping and defiant defence of his conduct, whilst shafting his special adviser.
That is why last month this blog called on Hunt to resign.
In the Commons Hunt said:
Throughout the bid process, when I got responsibility for it, the contact that I had with Fred Michel was only at official meetings that were minuted with other people present.
But there was demonstrable contact, via texts. This statement to the Commons is incorrect, and Hunt must have made the statement knowing it was incorrect.
Hunt also said:
When I was appointed to be responsible for the bid, my views about the bid, some of which had been made public, were explicitly reported to the Cabinet Secretary, who decided that it was appropriate for me to take responsibility for it in a quasi-judicial role.
But it appears that this statement is also incorrect. It seems a crucial memorandum to Cameron from Hunt was not provided. And this memorandum may have been as colourful in its language as to his view as to the consequences of the News International bid not being successful as Vince Cable had been in an unguarded moment when being recorded. If Cable was biased, Hunt certainly was – though in the other direction.
The Conservatives are now in a political crisis just because they are defending Hunt by any means they can think of. This is becoming desperate stuff.
It can be fairly said that Hunt misled the Commons and breached the ministerial code. He and his office acted with apparent and thereby unlawful bias in dealing with the BSkyB decision. And it is even possible a criminal offence was committed. (On these points see Carl Gardner here.)
All this is becoming very obvious, and no sensible person can defend Hunt’s conduct over the bid with a straight face.
Hunt allowed his office and his department to be severely compromised when taking a crucial ministerial decision which affected the future of the mainstream media.
His resignation can now only be a matter of time.
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7 Responses to Hunt is almost over
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I believe that Hunt will bluster and then fall on his sword with words like ‘I believe I did nothing wrong but will so this to save…’ blather.
I would love to say that lessons will be learned from this but am afraid my cynicism is now too well developed across all parties. I hate feeling like this but I have seen very little to change my mind.
Lesley
Doesn’t this current debarkle simply continue to evidence the lack of the calibre so some of our PM’s?
Despite convention, it appears the current trend of ministers being responsible for nothing, continues to flourish. If this is the new politics that Cameron and Clegg were so keen to promote then I’m not convinced that the voting public are buying it.
I’m still bemused that David Laws is able to continue to spout rubbish while all the time appear to ignore the fact he is nothing more than a common criminal (Fraud / Theft would seem the most obvious charge??). Why has this man not been charged? He should be in prison.
To expand on my point on Twitter. I think the “No contact” thing is too trivial to bother with.
You’re assuming that he remembers two texts both of which reaffirm that they can’t talk unofficially. If he’d sent a text saying “Sorry, running 5 minutes late to our meeting” would you consider that contact?
There’s so much going on here that it feels like focussing on this minor… well, I was going to say “faux pas”… but really, it’s nothing. It would be like the CPS prosecuting a kidnapper for doing 35 in a 30 zone.
Hunt should be sacked for many reasons, but doesn’t seem like one of them to me.
On the specifics of this case, I agree.
Here’s what troubles me: Cable and Hunt have both been recorded making statements which demonstrate partiality towards the BSkyB takeover, making them unfit to make an impartial quasi-judicial assessment of the bid. Fine.
How many other Secretaries of State also hold partial views on the case? Not being recorded saying something partial doesn’t make you impartial. And what if they all had made partial statements about the takeover?
The Cabinet is not selected for its impartiality. It shouldn’t have impartial decisions assigned to it or its members.
The nub of the problem is the quasi-judicial process itself. Mixing the executive and the judiciary is asking for this kind of trouble. I don’t have a perfect solution, but a much better one than at present would be to assign the quasi-judicial process to a cross-party committee of MPs.
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Hunt retaining his position as Culture Secretary is most interesting set against the absence of a wider reshuffle.
I am sure he will go. But the fact that he has not, and the fact that Cameron has so far not undertaken a wider series of moves within the Cabinet, is astonishing given the ongoing “omnishambles” and falling poll ratings.
Perhaps the greatest irony here is that an inquiry into the media, in part looking at it’s relationship with Politics, is itself dictating the timetable of the Prime Minister.
Surely there is no stronger evidence of the media lens’ distorting effect on both our view and understanding of politics, and the way in which politics functions internally, than the paralysis caused in the current government by placing that very relationship under scrutiny.
It just typifies the present Government front bench mentality.
The disconnect with reality is absolutely staggering and the recent political U-turn fandango is seemingly regarded as the yokels are revolting in the village and disturbing their betters luncheon better throw them a bone to pacify the yelping!
They have failed to take any responsibility for their arrogance and lack of self awareness in the political arena and continue to disregard the general electorate in favor of their rich cronies who so badly need a tax cut poor lambs!
As for Hunt, it is beyond doubt he was active and encouraging of inappropriate contact with Murdoch et al when he patently should not have been given his position in Government…….maybe he should be on the political version of the sex-register.
But he seems incapable of doing the honorable thing and resigning…at least until his name is cleared…if ever!
The fact that the majority of the muppets are public school educated says only one thing…there is a serious lack of the imparting of the central tenet of service in whatever business their erstwhile charges end up plying…Integrity!
That lesson seemingly was never on the Public school curriculum…pity… they could all do with a modicum of ethical behavior.