Political adviser told reporter Leveson connection was ‘something to think about’ when investigating Maria Miller’s expenses
A recording of a conversation between a Daily Telegraph reporter and a political adviser to culture secretary Maria Miller has been released in which adviser Joanna Hindley highlighted Miller’s "editors’ meetings around Leveson at the moment".
Row: Culture secretary Maria Miller
During the brief conversation - which took place in December 2012 - reporter Holly Watt told Hindley that the paper was looking into the culture secretary’s expenses claims. In response, Hindley criticised a colleague of Watt for ‘doorstepping’ a property in question, and then brought up the Leveson Report.
“I should just flag up as well, while you’re on it that when she doorstepped him, she got Maria’s father, who’s just had a [removed] and come out of [removed],” she said.
“And Maria is obviously been having quite a lot of editors’ meetings around Leveson at the moment. So I am just going to flag up that connection for you to think about.”
Miller has since apologised for failing to co-operate with a parliamentary inquiry over her expenses, and she was last week ordered to repay £5,800 in mortgage interest claims.
Hindley was later defended by Conservative MP Therese Coffey, who said the adviser was highlighting that doorstepping had been inappropriate.