David Cameron spoke to Rupert Murdoch's executives about BSkyB bidBy Patrick Wintour, political editor
Wednesday 20 July 2011 21.30 BST
David Cameron leaves Downing Street before his statement to the Commons. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
David Cameron's hopes of putting a lid on the phone-hacking scandal were floundering on Wednesday after he was forced to concede he had talked to Rupert Murdoch's executives about their bid to take control of BSkyB.
It is the first time he has made the admission, but he insisted the conversations had been "appropriate" because he did not convey any of those discussions to the politician in sole charge of handling the bid, the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
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He added: "I have an old-fashioned view about innocent until proven guilty, but if it turns out that I have been lied to (by Andy Coulson), that would be the moment for a profound apology. In that event, I can tell you that I will not fall short."
The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said it was not about hindsight. Cameron had ignored five warnings of Coulson's activities, he said, including a damning article by the New York Times in September 2010 that prompted major changes at the Metropolitan police, but not in Downing Street. Cameron repeatedly tried to avoid admitting he had discussed the BSkyB deal at one or other of the 26 meetings he has held with Murdoch's executives since the election.
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Keep on flailing, Mr. Cameron. Fewer and fewer believe you are fit to hold your job.