Lewes MP Norman Baker has become the second Liberal Democrat minister to be recorded talking about his party’s wrangles with Rupert Murdoch.
Business Secretary Vince Cable was yesterday stripped of his role overseeing media, telecom and broadcasting companies after telling undercover reporters from The Telegraph he had “declared war” on Rupert Murdoch.
Today, The Telegraph revealed it had also taped transport minister Mr Baker claiming their party was responsible for blocking Murdoch’s move to take over BSKyB.
It reports him as saying: "The reference of Rupert Murdoch, trying to stop him taking over BSkyB, that's come from Vince Cable, that wouldn't have happened without us there."
He added: "We've referred it and that's another thing the Tories are furious about, you know, we've stopped Murdoch taking over BSkyB, or referred it to the competition authorities, that would have never happened under the Tories. They would have just said: 'Here you are Mr Murdoch, how much do you want?'"
This morning, Mr Baker told the BBC he suspected the reporters were a couple who came to him with a “sob story” about child benefit.
He said: "I imagine that's what they've done with other MPs to generate a sympathetic response so they can then pursue the Daily Telegraph's goal of destroying the coalition."
The Telegraph has also secretly recorded Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, Business Minister Ed Davey and Pensions Minister Steve Webb criticising a number of government policies.
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