Downing Street was forced to defend its top spin doctor yesterday after he raised Leveson press reforms in a telephone call to the editor of a national newspaper about an unfavourable story it was planning to run.
No 10 insisted Craig Oliver was highlighting concerns about the way the Daily Telegraph carried out its investigation into the expense claims of Culture Secretary Maria Miller rather than attempting to threaten the newspaper.
The director of communications reportedly told editor Tony Gallagher “she (Maria Miller) is looking at Leveson at the moment” during the call last Friday.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The secretary of state had some concerns about the investigation. She set those out in a letter to the editor. Craig Oliver was simply reflecting those concerns.”
At the regular Westminster briefing, the spokesman insisted neither adviser was suggesting the direction press regulation would take would be influenced by what stories newspapers choose to run now.
He insisted the story about Mrs Miller’s family and discussions about media policy were separate.
Hacked Off associate director EvanHarris said: “This… story is astonishing.”
Brian Cathcart, executive director of the organisation, said the story showed why ministers “must be kept at arm’s length from the regulation of the press”.
The sleaze watchdog was urged to investigate Mrs Miller’s expenses claims on Tuesday after the Daily Telegraph report.
Labour MP John Mann complained to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards after it emerged Mrs Miller had allowed her parents to live at a property on which she claimed more than £90,000 in second home allowances during the last parliament.