Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry

4:22pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Politics news

Jack Straw Jack Straw

Former Cabinet minister Jack Straw has told how he often used to "gossip" with Rebekah Brooks on the train.

Mr Straw said he "made arrangements" with the then Sun editor to commute into London together from Oxfordshire, where they both had homes.

He also admitted that Tony Blair's government had been too close to the press and suggested Rupert Murdoch used his newspapers' power to further his commercial interests.

The comments came as Mr Straw - who served as justice, home and foreign secretary - gave evidence to the Leveson inquiry.

"During my period as justice secretary I would often travel to London on a Monday morning from the West Oxfordshire station of Charlbury," he said in his statement. "Mrs Rebekah Brooks used to use the same train. After a while we made arrangements to meet up and sit together for the journey."

Mr Straw told the inquiry: "We would talk about what was in the papers. We'd gossip about personalities and that sort of thing. We weren't nattering the whole journey." He stressed the conversations were not too sensitive because there were always people "earwigging".

The meetings petered out after around two years when Mrs Brooks - who was on Tuesday charged with perverting the course of justice in relation to the phone-hacking scandal - became News International chief executive in 2009.

The disclosure offers yet more evidence of Mrs Brooks' extensive contacts with major political players. Last week she told the inquiry that David Cameron regularly signed off text messages with "LOL" for "lots of love".

Mr Straw said Labour's links with journalists had become "very, very close, sometimes incestuous" in opposition, and that continued after 1997.

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The Blackburn MP insisted external regulation of the press was now necessary. "The press can't go on as they have been, claiming that every other institution needs external regulation," he said.

"It would be good for the press as most journalists want much higher standards."

Comments (13)

5:47pm Wed 16 May 12

Am i in yet..? says...

Will he have to swear on the bible..?
Will he have to swear on the bible..? Am i in yet..?

5:49pm Wed 16 May 12

mavrick says...

Behave Jack, you knew she was the chief executive of a powerful news orginisation. It is obvious she would have contacts at the highest levels of government, whatever the colour of the government. The cat was let out of the bag when vince the fool cable said he was out to destroy the Murdoch empire. I am astounded that Rebeka Brooks has been charged with anything. lets be honest she probably knows enough to sink most ministers if she saw fit. I wonder if you were ever grateful for the press in the run up to elections? This whole distraction just shows how much ordinary peoples information is available for a much smaller price. I can't understand the furor over what the ordinary man in the street has always suspected. The whole system stinks and is overdue a complete clearout. Don't worry big T is making a comeback so you will all be saved, just like the corrupt backhanders to foreign officials for giving defence contracts to the U.K. sidelined that one nicely.
Behave Jack, you knew she was the chief executive of a powerful news orginisation. It is obvious she would have contacts at the highest levels of government, whatever the colour of the government. The cat was let out of the bag when vince the fool cable said he was out to destroy the Murdoch empire. I am astounded that Rebeka Brooks has been charged with anything. lets be honest she probably knows enough to sink most ministers if she saw fit. I wonder if you were ever grateful for the press in the run up to elections? This whole distraction just shows how much ordinary peoples information is available for a much smaller price. I can't understand the furor over what the ordinary man in the street has always suspected. The whole system stinks and is overdue a complete clearout. Don't worry big T is making a comeback so you will all be saved, just like the corrupt backhanders to foreign officials for giving defence contracts to the U.K. sidelined that one nicely. mavrick

7:53pm Wed 16 May 12

sen c bl says...

Am i in yet..? wrote:
Will he have to swear on the bible..?
Don't they all!!!
[quote][p][bold]Am i in yet..?[/bold] wrote: Will he have to swear on the bible..?[/p][/quote]Don't they all!!! sen c bl

8:35pm Wed 16 May 12

Michael@ClitheroeSince58 says...

I wonder if Jack straw knows that lol means laugh out loud unlike david camemoron who thought it meant lots of love
I wonder if Jack straw knows that lol means laugh out loud unlike david camemoron who thought it meant lots of love Michael@ClitheroeSince58

10:50pm Wed 16 May 12

Graham Hartley says...

He stressed the conversations were not too sensitive because there were always people "earwigging".

As befits a Secretary of State for Justice, his view is interesting both for what he says and for what he does not say. We are asked to accept that it became a matter of routine that he formed such a relationship with a newspaper editor. In claiming that their conversations were 'not too sensitive' because people were always 'earwigging' he reveals that the conversations were sensitive. We are left to wonder about the conversations they had in the absence of 'earwiggers'. His remarks do not admit or deny that such exclusive conversations happened.
He stressed the conversations were not too sensitive because there were always people "earwigging". As befits a Secretary of State for Justice, his view is interesting both for what he says and for what he does not say. We are asked to accept that it became a matter of routine that he formed such a relationship with a newspaper editor. In claiming that their conversations were 'not too sensitive' because people were always 'earwigging' he reveals that the conversations were sensitive. We are left to wonder about the conversations they had in the absence of 'earwiggers'. His remarks do not admit or deny that such exclusive conversations happened. Graham Hartley

10:55pm Wed 16 May 12

hairy mary says...

please leave my dad alone
please leave my dad alone hairy mary

11:23pm Wed 16 May 12

peely says...

Travelling from his home in the cotswolds chattering with the media elite ! the real jack straw !! Just like the rest of em ,two faced, looking after themselves whilst on the gravy train!!
Travelling from his home in the cotswolds chattering with the media elite ! the real jack straw !! Just like the rest of em ,two faced, looking after themselves whilst on the gravy train!! peely

11:35pm Wed 16 May 12

district01 says...

Newspaper editors and politicians are akin to rats scurrying about in the gutter. Both think themselves far too important for criticism and voice more than their worth!
Newspaper editors and politicians are akin to rats scurrying about in the gutter. Both think themselves far too important for criticism and voice more than their worth! district01

11:44pm Wed 16 May 12

district01 says...

Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Iraq War Chilcot inquiry.

Has everyone noticed the similarity!
Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry. Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Iraq War Chilcot inquiry. Has everyone noticed the similarity! district01

12:23am Thu 17 May 12

Graham Hartley says...

hairy mary wrote:
please leave my dad alone
How much does he want?
[quote][p][bold]hairy mary[/bold] wrote: please leave my dad alone[/p][/quote]How much does he want? Graham Hartley

8:33am Thu 17 May 12

happycyclist says...

Michael@ClitheroeSin
ce58 wrote:
I wonder if Jack straw knows that lol means laugh out loud unlike david camemoron who thought it meant lots of love
Jack probably thinks it means 'Lie Out Loud'
[quote][p][bold]Michael@ClitheroeSin ce58[/bold] wrote: I wonder if Jack straw knows that lol means laugh out loud unlike david camemoron who thought it meant lots of love[/p][/quote]Jack probably thinks it means 'Lie Out Loud' happycyclist

7:52pm Tue 22 May 12

Graham Hartley says...

district01 wrote:
Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Iraq War Chilcot inquiry.

Has everyone noticed the similarity!
Yes, he gives evidence to both. There is an important difference between 'giving evidence to' and 'presenting evidence before'. One does not give evidence; the inquiry decides what is being given. And further, one does not 'give to'; the inquiry considers what is presented.
[quote][p][bold]district01[/bold] wrote: Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry. Blackburn MP Jack Straw gives evidence to the Iraq War Chilcot inquiry. Has everyone noticed the similarity![/p][/quote]Yes, he gives evidence to both. There is an important difference between 'giving evidence to' and 'presenting evidence before'. One does not give evidence; the inquiry decides what is being given. And further, one does not 'give to'; the inquiry considers what is presented. Graham Hartley

7:55pm Tue 22 May 12

Graham Hartley says...

happycyclist wrote:
Michael@ClitheroeSin

ce58 wrote:
I wonder if Jack straw knows that lol means laugh out loud unlike david camemoron who thought it meant lots of love
Jack probably thinks it means 'Lie Out Loud'
Agreed, happy; though now that it is written, he may replace that thought with another. Ah, lawyers...
[quote][p][bold]happycyclist[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Michael@ClitheroeSin ce58[/bold] wrote: I wonder if Jack straw knows that lol means laugh out loud unlike david camemoron who thought it meant lots of love[/p][/quote]Jack probably thinks it means 'Lie Out Loud'[/p][/quote]Agreed, happy; though now that it is written, he may replace that thought with another. Ah, lawyers... Graham Hartley

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