Blair and Murdoch Spoke Days Before Iraq War

Press Association
The Guardian UK

Thursday 19 July 2007

Tony Blair spoke to the media mogul Rupert Murdoch three times in the 10 days before the outbreak of the Iraq war - once on the eve of the US-led invasion - it was disclosed yesterday.

The telephone conversations were among six calls between the two men detailed by the cabinet office in response to a freedom of information request by the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Avebury.

The information was released the day after Mr Blair handed over power to Gordon Brown last month, following a three and a half year battle by the Lib Dem peer. Lord Avebury waited until yesterday to publicise the information.

No details were given of what subjects Mr Blair and the News Corporation chairman discussed in the calls on March 11, 13 and 19 2003, ahead of the launch of US-led military action in Iraq on March 20.

Lord Avebury said: "Rupert Murdoch has exerted his influence behind the scenes on a range of policies on which he is known to have strong views, including the regulation of broadcasting and the Iraq war. The public can now scrutinise the timing of his contacts with the former prime minister, to see whether they can be linked to events in the outside world."

Further conversations between Mr Blair and Mr Murdoch took place on January 29, April 25 and October 3 2004. The cabinet office response also listed meetings between Mr Blair and the Express Newspapers publisher, Richard Desmond, on January 29 and September 3 2003 and February 23 2004.

The release covered the prime minister's phone calls and meetings with the two men between September 2002 and April 2005.

Lord Avebury initially asked for the dates of Mr Blair's phone calls and meetings with Mr Murdoch and Mr Desmond in October 2003. When this request was rebuffed by the then leader of the Lords, Baroness Amos, he made a complaint under freedom of information legislation.

In 2005, Downing Street said the information was exempt from disclosure because of the need for the prime minister to be able to undertake free and frank discussions.

The cabinet office said that releasing the timing of the PM's contacts with individuals could be prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs because it might lead to the content of the discussions being disclosed.

The argument for secrecy was backed in a July 2006 ruling by the information commissioner, Richard Thomas, who said that the timing of any calls need only be disclosed if they were official contacts, with civil servants taking minutes.

The peer lodged an appeal last August with the information tribunal. On June 28 this year, a day before evidence was due to be served on the parties to the case, the cabinet office announced that it would release the information.

Lord Avebury said: "One hopes that the timing of the government's decision to capitulate indicates that under Gordon Brown's leadership, freedom of information will be made a reality."