Leveson to hear from Gove and May (From Wharfedale Observer)

Leveson to hear from Gove and May

3:40am Tuesday 29th May 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

Conservatives Michael Gove and Theresa May are set to become the first serving Cabinet ministers to give evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics.

Mr Gove faces questioning about his relationship with Rupert and James Murdoch and former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks.

The Education Secretary, a former journalist on The Times, recorded 11 meetings with senior News Corp figures between the May 2010 general election and July 2011, and has publicly described Rupert Murdoch as "a great man" and "a force of nature".

Earlier this year he spoke out about the danger of freedom of speech being harmed by the "chilling atmosphere" created by the Leveson Inquiry. Questioning the need for additional regulation of the press, he cautioned against allowing "judges, celebrities and the establishment" to become the arbiters of where the limits of free speech should be set.

Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to be quizzed about the police handling of phone-hacking allegations and the closeness between the police and the media.

They are the latest witnesses in a high-profile week for the Leveson Inquiry that will see embattled Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt give evidence on Thursday over his links with the Murdoch empire.

Tony Blair, who became godfather to Mr Murdoch's daughter Grace in 2010, told the inquiry on Monday that he had never struck a deal with Mr Murdoch or changed policy under pressure from him. Defending his relationship with the media mogul, he insisted they had only become close friends in the last five years.

His evidence was interrupted by a protester who burst into courtroom 73 from a secure corridor and accused Mr Blair of being a war criminal. The former Labour leader remained composed as the man was led off by security guards and the session continued.

During his decade in office Mr Blair said he simply had a "working relationship" with Mr Murdoch.

Mr Blair said: "I know Rupert Murdoch and his family far better today than I did when I was Prime Minister. I would never have become godfather to their child on the basis of my relationship in government where meetings with Rupert Murdoch tended to be very much politics-oriented and I knew the rest of the family only a little at that time." He added: "It was a relationship about power. I find these relationships are not personal, they are working, to me."