The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Tony Blair Leveson Inquiry

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair admits to becoming too close to News International

Author

By The Drum Team, Editorial

May 28, 2012 | 2 min read

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has admitted that his relationship to News International but denied that he had a ‘cosy’ relationship with its chairman Rupert Murdoch, while in office.

Questioned at the Leveson Inquiry on Media Ethics this morning, Blair was asked about his relationship with Murdoch, having become godfather to Grace Murdoch two years ago, where he denied that the two were close while he was Prime Minister.

He described the relationship as being a ‘working’ one, but admitted that a friendship developed between the two after he left Downing Street, adding that he would not have become Godfather to Grace solely on his previous relationship while Prime Minister.

Blair also revealed that he had been in contact with former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and admitted, when asked whether he had become too close to the company, by responding ‘yes’.

“We were dealing with very powerful people who had a big impact on the political system,” he explained.

"The big impact was hugely intensified and multiplied by the fact that if they were against you they were absolutely out, all out, against you, and that's the issue in my view."

Meanwhile, security at the Enquiry was evaded by one war protestor who proclaimed that Blair should be arrested for war crimes and accused Blair of taking payment from JP Morgan over the Iraqi war. Blair denied this when questioning resumed.

Tony Blair Leveson Inquiry

More from Tony Blair

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +