Rupert Murdoch pressured me over Europe, says John Major

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Rupert Murdoch pressured me over Europe, says John Major

Ex-PM tells Leveson inquiry that mogul said in 1997 his papers
would oppose the government if it did not change its policy

John Plunkett and Lisa O'Carroll
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 12 June 2012 13.26 BST

Sir John Major has claimed Rupert Murdoch demanded his government change its policy on Europe or his papers would oppose him at the 1997 general election.

The former Conservative prime minister told the Leveson inquiry on Tuesday that Murdoch delivered the ultimatum at a private meeting with the News Corporation founder on 2 February 1997, three months before the election in which the Tories lost heavily to New Labour.

Major's claim appears to contradict Murdoch's own evidence to the inquiry. Murdoch told Leveson on 25 April that "I have never asked a prime minister for anything."

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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jun/12/rupert-murdoch-john-major

[bigbrother05]

1. Technically, did he ask or tell? "Demanded" is not asking.

There're good reasons RM was the model for a Bond villain.