David Cameron is using embattled Cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt as a “firewall” to protect himself from questions over his links to the Murdoch empire, Ed Miliband claimed today.
The Labour leader said it was “incredible” that Mr Hunt was still Culture Secretary after the bombshell revelations about one of his special advisers’ links to a Murdoch lobbyist.
Mr Hunt is clinging to his post but his position is likely to become untenable if the Financial Services Authority launches an investigation into information passed on by special adviser Adam Smith over News Corporation’s bid to take over BSkyB.
Mr Smith resigned yesterday over the furore.
Mr Miliband said: “Jeremy Hunt is acting as a firewall...if he goes, the questions will then move to David Cameron’s conversations with Rebekah Brooks and James Murdoch and others.”
He said it “beggared belief” that Mr Hunt had not been axed and dismissed the idea that Mr Smith was acting as a “lone wolf” in his links to Murdoch lobbyist Frederic Michel.
Mr Miliband also called for an independent Whitehall investigation into the affair.
But Downing Street rejected his claim that Mr Hunt was being used as “protection” for Mr Cameron and that Mr Smith was a “fall guy”. A No 10 source said: “This is complete nonsense. As Leveson said yesterday, people should not prejudge his inquiry. But Jeremy gave a very good account of himself in the Commons yesterday and has the PM’s full support.”
