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20 * | Wednesday 27 July 2011 The Guardian | Wednesday 27 July 2011 * 21 The Tories and Murdoch Who met whom when

The close relations between David May June July August September October November December January February March April May June Cameron’s inner circle and News 2010 2011 Corporation’s top 11 May takes 1 September The New York 21 December Jeremy Hunt, 5 January It emerges that 3 March Hunt approves 5 April Edmondson, and the 23 June A former NoW executives have moved over as head of the new Times publishes claims by the culture secretary, is , a senior BSkyB’s proposal to hive off NoW chief reporter, Neville reporter, Terenia Taras, to the forefront of coalition government’s former given responsibility for NoW news editor, was from BSkyB, thus Thurlbeck, are arrested is arrested. Also arrested the phone-hacking media team after David reporter that News International’s bid to suspended near the end of all but guaranteeing that he on suspicion of unlawfully on the same day is Laura scandal. This grid uses Cameron becomes prime Andy Coulson knew his staff buy the rest of BSkyB after 2010 after an internal inves- will approve the deal. intercepting voicemail Elston, a reporter for the information released minister. hacked phones; Coulson the business secretary, Vince tigation into hacking. messages. Press Association but it soon over the past 10 days denies the allegation. Cable, is secretly recorded 17 January 8 April News International emerges she is not involved to set out all declared 14 September saying he had “declared says he was commissioned apologises to eight hacking in the affair and she is meetings between reopens its phone-hacking war” on . to hack phone by Ian victims and announces it has dropped from the inquiry. or News inquiry, based on the evi- Edmondson. set up a dedicated compen- dence of Sean Hoare and 21 January Coulson resigns, sation scheme to deal with International others. It swiftly announces saying the focus on him has claims efficiently. executives and the that no new evidence has made it impossible to do his 14 April Another NoW jour- prime minister or been uncovered. Downing Street job properly. nalist, , members of his core 17 September Lord 27 January As more alleged is arrested on suspicion of team since May 2010, Prescott and others launch victims become known, conspiracy to unlawfully alongside key dates legal action seeking a Scotland Yard launches two intercept communications in the BSkyB merger judicial review of Scotland new inquiries – Operation and hacking scandal Yard’s investigation into Weeting, looking at hacking, . and , into claims of payments to police by the media.

• General discussion with • Invited • Met with James Harding • Invited • Attended mili- • Hosted News of • General discussion • General discussion with • General discussion with David Rupert Murdoch to Chequers at Conservative party to Chequers tary awards and dinner the World’s children’s with James Harding (below) James Harding • General discussion Conference • Social engagement with champions • Attended News Cameron with Sun editor Dominic • Met with Rebekah Brooks Rebekah Brooks and James International summer party Mohan and Dominic Mohan at the Murdoch • Gave speech to the • Attended News Interna- Conservative conference • Social engagement with Times CEO summit tional summer party • Met with John Witherow Rebekah Brooks (Cameron’s • Interview with Times at Conservative conference engagements with Brooks ­editor James Harding • News international in December comprised a • Attended Times reception with Dominic dinner in Brooks’ Chipping CEO summit Mohan, , John Norton home, right, fol- • Attended the Sun police Witherow, Rebekah Brooks lowed by a Christmas bravery awards and James Harding at Con- Eve picnic – also servative conference attended by Jer- • Social engagement emy Clarkson – • General discussion with • Invited Rebekah Brooks • General discussion with with Rebekah Brooks the next day) Dominic Mohan to Chequers (above) Sunday Times editor John • General discussion with Witherow News of the World editor Colin Myler

• General discussion with • Social engagement with • News international • General discussion with • General discussion with • General discussion with • General discussion with • Social engagement with George Rebekah Brooks and James Rebekah Brooks (pictured reception with Dominic James Murdoch Rebekah Brooks James Harding (below) Rebekah Brooks and James James Harding Murdoch left) Mohan, Colin Myler (pic- • Social function at Sunday • General discussion with Murdoch • Social engagement with Osborne • General discussion with • General discussion with tured right), John With- Times business reception Rupert Murdoch (Osborne’s • General discussion with Elisabeth Murdoch (left) Rupert Murdoch James Harding erow, Rebekah Brooks and meeting with Murdoch took James Harding • Social engagement with James Harding at Conserva- place over dinner in New James Murdoch tive conference York, two weeks before • Met with John With- were initially due erow at Conservative to rule on News Corp’s conference BSkyB takeover bid) • Met with Colin Myler at Conservative conference

Jeremy • Dinner and reception • General discussion with The prime minister met the editors • Met with Rebekah Brooks • General discussion • Discussion to set out • General discussion with with Rupert Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch of all four News International titles at Conservative conference with Jeremy Darroch, CEO the process around the John Witherow (below) Hunt others and Rebekah Brooks at last year’s • Social engagement with BSkyB (below) proposed BSkyB/News Conservative party conference Mark Thompson, BBC Corp merger with James in Birmingham director-general, and Murdoch Elisabeth Murdoch • Second discussion to • CPS lecture, with Rupert set out the process around Murdoch and other News the proposed BSkyB/News Corp staff present Corp merger with James Murdoch

• Dinner and discussion • Dinner and discussion • Party conference meet- • Academy visit with • Social engagement with • Meetings with News • Breakfast and • Dinner and discussion Michael with Rupert Murdoch, with Rebekah Brooks and ings with James Harding, Rebekah Brooks, James Rebekah Brooks plus Corp’s (pictured ­discussion with with Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks and “more than ten others” Colin Myler and Dominic Harding and News several others left) during his visit to dis- Rupert Murdoch, several others Gove “more than 10 others” • Lunch and discussion Mohan, plus the Sun’s ­International’s general cuss US education policy. James Murdoch, with Rupert Murdoch, ­ and Tom manager Will Lewis Included “assorted dinners” Rebekah Brooks Rebekah Brooks and senior Newton-Dunn and the with Rupert Murdoch and and James Harding editors NoW’s David Wooding others. (Gove, married to • Dinner after Centre for a Times columnist, is said Policy Studies lecture with to be friends with Klein, Rupert Murdoch, James who now heads up News Murdoch, Rebekah Brooks, Corp’s clean-up commit- James Harding, Colin Myler, tee. Klein is credited as John Witherow and “more the inspiration behind than 10 others” the Conservatives’ free schools initiative) • Dinner with Rebekah Brooks plus several others

• Lunch with • Dinner with the Sun • Lunch with the Wall • Awards dinner • Resigns from his ­position *Coulson’s list only Andy • Lunch with Sky News Street Journal sponsored by the Sun as the prime minister’s includes meetings ­communications director where he accepted Coulson* on January 21 hospitality from the organisation involved. It is not a list of all meetings