South West Surrey Lib Dems Urge Jeremy Hunt to Refer BSkyB Takeover (South West Surrey Liberal Democrats)

South West Surrey Liberal Democrats <info@swsurreylibdems.org.uk>

South West Surrey Lib Dems Urge Jeremy Hunt to Refer BSkyB Takeover

December 31, 2010 10:20 PM
By Derek Seale

The South West Surrey Liberal Democrat party have urged local MP Jeremy Hunt to refer the News Corporation takeover of BSkyB to the Competition Commission through a letter written by party Chairman Derek Seale

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Dear Mr Hunt,

I understand that Ofcom is due to report to you, on 31 December, its views on the proposed takeover of 100% of BSkyB by Rupert Murdoch's News International empire.

I believe that it is important for the decision on this to be made in public with the best possible regard for transparency and due process. The decision was taken from Vince Cable because of the much publicised leaks of some comments made in private which indicated that he was not impartial. I have to say to you, with all due respect, that your already publicly expressed views on the subjects of Mr Murdoch and the BBC will have created the impression in the minds of many members of the public that you are no more impartial on this matter than is Mr Cable.

With that in mind, I believe that the best way of ensuring that due process is observed, and seen to be so, would be for you to refer the matter to the Competition Commission for a full scale investigation as soon as you receive the Ofcom report.

I hope that you will do so and I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Seale

Chairman, South West Surrey Liberal Democrats