Sack Jeremy Hunt says National Union of Journalists leader
The leader of the National Union of Journalists has called on culture secretary Jeremy Hunt to be sacked following allegations that he colluded with News Corporation during its bid to buy BSkyB.
Hunt's special adviser, Adam Smith, resigned over the row yesterday but the NUJ's general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, insists Hunt's position has also become untenable.
Stanistreet said: "Sacking the servant is not the way to deal with sleaze. The revelations at the Leveson Inquiry confirm what many of us have suspected all along – the contact between News International and the Minister tasked with deciding the fate of the BSkyB bid was totally inappropriate.
"Jeremy Hunt has utterly compromised his position and cannot remain in post – he should resign now and have the grace to admit that his contact with James Murdoch was a grave error of judgement and a violation of his quasi-judicial role during the BSkyB bid. James Murdoch may think it’s acceptable to indulge in such ‘small’ mobile call exchanges and emails but providing confidential information to the Murdoch camp is not the proper and fitting way for a minister to conduct business. These revelations should be Hunt’s swansong - at least he will have more time to go to the ballet.”