Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Murdoch executives ‘told Sunak not to resign after partygate fine’

16 Sep 2023 2 minute read
Rishi Sunak, image by Dan Kitwood/PA Images; Rupert Murdoch, image by Ian West/PA Images

Rishi Sunak was persuaded not to quit as chancellor over his fine for breaking lockdown laws following an intervention by executives working for media mogul Rupert Murdoch, it has been claimed.

The claim is detailed in a new book by the Telegraph’s political editor and published by the newspaper on Friday.

It is the latest report to suggest that Mr Sunak was on the verge of resigning after both he and Boris Johnson were fined for attending the then-prime minister’s birthday celebration in Downing Street in June 2020.

According to the paper, Mr Sunak shared a draft resignation statement with allies, including some who worked for Mr Murdoch such as former Tory leader and Times columnist Lord Hague.

It also reported that Mr Sunak’s potential resignation was discussed with Mas Siddiqui, an old friend and director at Mr Murdoch’s News Corp.

Intervened

But the paper said that it is unknown whether a message was passed directly to Mr Sunak from Mr Murdoch.

Mr Johnson has since told people that Mr Murdoch intervened to persuade Mr Sunak not to quit, it was also claimed.

A spokeswoman for News UK declined to comment, while a spokesman for Mr Johnson said that he does not recognise the account.

A Number 10 source said that Mr Sunak did not speak to Mr Murdoch at any time about resigning.

Mr Sunak did come under pressure over whether he would resigning after the fixed-penalty notice was issued in April 2022.

He reportedly spent hours agonising over whether to resign, but ultimately decided to stay in Downing Street along with Mr Johnson.

Mr Sunak would quit as chancellor only months later, with his resignation helping to spark a mass ministerial walkout that eventually forced Mr Johnson from Downing Street.


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

8 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

The Oligarch’s Oilygarch…

Modi Ji and Murdoch’s placeman…

Corruption from the top down…

Back to the days of Beaverbrook…

Get Sunak out…

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

A story yet to be written…Beaverbrook and his gang’s regular trips to Llanelltyd in the forties…

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 year ago

Anyone who thought we had democracy should remember, we don’t get to vote for Murdoch.

Jeff
Jeff
1 year ago

Hostile unelected billionaire has too much access to the UK political system. Labour must distance them when they get power. They must cut them down to size. Just look at the Fox network in the US and how much power and damage they cause, same in the UK with the press.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

‘The UK is in the grip of organised looting’ runs the headline’…

Yes we know, it was organised in Downing St and now it has spread to the high streets and the back streets…

Annibendod
Annibendod
1 year ago

Day 1 Independent Wales.

Agenda point 1:

Rupert Murdoch, his entire family and any associated organisations or interests to be proscribed.

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
1 year ago
Reply to  Annibendod

Mr M is an American citizen so perhaps removal of Non-Dom status by Kier Starmer could start the process.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

When one looks at the smirking mugshot of the Wizard of Oz it is easy to believe that the Devil really does look after his own…

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.