News Corp's Takeover Bid Emails Revealed

A 163-page dossier of email contacts between News Corporation bosses and the Government that were exchanged during the takeover bid for BSkyB have been released by the Leveson Inquiry.

It came at the end of a day of evidence from James Murdoch at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The dossier contained emails sent by News Corp's senior vice-president of government affairs and public policy, Europe, Frederic Michel, detailing the bid's progress.

:: Read all the emails here

In emails marked 'Privileged and Confidential' the Tory minister Jeremy Hunt, who is Culture Secretary and responsible for judging the News Corp bid, is repeatedly referred to as "JH".

In one email on January 24, 2011, the day before Mr Hunt was due to make a statement to Parliament relating to the bid, Mr Michel wrote to James Murdoch: "Managed to get some infos on the plans for tomorrow (although absolutely illegal..@!)."

In an email to James Murdoch (referred to as JRM) Mr Michel confirms that Mr Hunt is happy to use Mr Michel as a point of contact "going forward". At this point the minister had replaced Vince Cable in overseeing the News Corp bid.

In another email Mr Michel is advised against meeting Mr Hunt due to the legally sensitive progress of the bid, but suggests having a "chat" by mobile instead.

In January 2011 Mr Michel told James Murdoch that the Culture Secretary was "keen to get to the same outcome" over the bid for BSkyB and that "we would get there at the end".

In another lengthy email in February 2011, Mr Michel mentions he managed to get "JH" before he went to see a performance of Swan Lake.

Mr Michel says he told the minister to dismiss the Ofcom regulator's objections to the bid, and that this was Mr Hunt's chance to show "some backbone".

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:: Read all the emails here