In light of recent developments, I thought it was worth extracting this part of Hugh Grant’s undercover interview with former News of the World journalist Paul McMullan.
Me So they all knew? Wade probably knew all about it all?
Him […] Cameron must have known – that’s the bigger scandal. He had to jump into bed with Murdoch as everyone had, starting with Thatcher in the Seventies . . . Tony Blair . . . [tape is hard to hear here] Maggie openly courted Murdoch, saying, you know, “Please support me.” So when Cameron, when it came his turn to go to Murdoch via Rebekah Wade . . . Cameron went horse riding regularly with Rebekah. I know, because as well as doorstepping celebrities, I’ve also doorstepped my ex-boss by hiding in the bushes, waiting for her to come past with Cameron on a horse . . . before the election to show that – you know – Murdoch was backing Cameron.
Cameron’s friendship with Brooks (he also had dinner at her Oxfordshire home over Christmas) hasn’t received the attention that it deserves. But, one senses, it will now.
When previously challenged over the dinner, which took place while the government was considering Rupert Murdoch’s BSkyB takeover bid, Cameron replied: “The person in question is married to a very old friend of mine. I even occasionally meet people who work for the Guardian, or the Independent, or the BBC, or whatever.” Would he offer a similar defence today? It’s all fertile PMQs material for Ed Miliband.
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