Major: Murdoch's EU demand

2:49 pm, Tue 12 Jun 2012

Miliband: Something 'went very wrong'

Labour leader Ed Miliband told the Leveson Inquiry into press standards that something went "very wrong" with the way some journalists dealt with individuals. He said police had "not investigated properly" and politicians had not spoken out.

There is clearly something which has gone very wrong with the way parts of the press dealt with individuals. A failure to get to grips with these issues ... by the press, the police, who did not investigate properly, and I think politicians, who were aware of some of what was going on and did not speak out.

Organisations like News International had huge power and I think politicians were reticent to speak about some of these practices that were exposed. I include myself in that."

2:27 pm, Tue 12 Jun 2012

Leveson Inquiry hears from Ed Miliband

Labour leader Ed Miliband arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice to attend the Leveson Inquiry. Credit: Press Association

Labour leader Ed Miliband is giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards. He was one of the people who called for the inquiry to be established in a last year in the wake of the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

Miliband started his evidence by saying he recognised the important role the media plays in "holding politicians to account."

John Major: Murdoch asked me to change policy

by Lucy Manning - UK Editor

When Rupert Murdoch stood before the Leveson Inquiry he said: "I have never asked a Prime Minister for anything".

Former Prime Minister John Major appeared to directly contradict that today, admitting that Mr Murdoch had asked him to change his policies in order to win the support of his newspapers.

He recalled a dinner before 1997 election at which Mr Murdoch allegedly told him he didn't like the Conservative Party's European policies, and that his newspapers would not support him in the upcoming election unless he changed them.

Mr Major also admitted that his treatment by the media had got to him at times, saying: "I was much too sensitive from time to time about what the press wrote".

11:03 am, Tue 12 Jun 2012

Sir John Major: Murdoch asked me to change our European policies

Just before the 1997 election it was suggested to me that I ought to have got closer to the Murdoch press...I invited him to dinner, in February 1997.

(The dinner) would have contained the usual amount of political gossip, then in the dinner, Mr Murdoch said that he really didn't like our European policies and he wished me to change our European policies, and if we didn't, then his papers could not and would not support this Government.

– Sir John Major

The former Prime Minister then told the Leveson Inquiry "there was no question of me changing our policies".

10:41 am, Tue 12 Jun 2012

Sir John Major has 'little recollection' of Rupert Murdoch meetings

Sir John Major has confirmed he met former Daily Telegraph owner Conrad Black six times in the seven years he was in power, while he met News Corporation's Rupert Murdoch only three times. Sir John said he had "little recollection" of his meetings with Mr Murdoch.

10:25 am, Tue 12 Jun 2012

Sir John Major was 'too sensitive' over press coverage

Sir John Major said he was "too sensitive" over press coverage towards him when he was Prime Minister, as he gave evidence at the Leveson Inquiry.

Leveson Inquiry Sir John Major — Sir John Major is giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry. Credit: Leveson Inquiry

The former Prime Minister - who held office from 1990 to 1997 - said his poor relationship with the press was down to his decision not to court them which, he added, would have been "undignified".

Sir John added that the press cannot hold the Government to account if there is too much "chumminess" between them.

Labour leader set to face Leveson

Labour Leader Ed Miliband, Former Prime Minister Sir John Major, and Labour's Deputy Leader Harriet Harman are all expected to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on Tuesday.