Murdoch: 'Nonsense' that editors 'agree with everything' I say

Rupert Murdoch has described as "nonsense" a claim by former Sun editor David Yelland that the editors of Murdoch newspapers "look at the world through Rupert's eyes".

Giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry today, the News Corporation chairman said of his editors: "They might know my thinking, but they don't have to agree with it."

The inquiry heard a quote from Yelland, who edited the Sun from 1998 to 2003, and told the Evening Standard in 2010: "All Murdoch editors, what they do is this: they go on a journey where they end up agreeing with everything Rupert says.

"But you don't admit to yourself that you're being influenced. Most Murdoch editors wake up in the morning, switch on the radio, hear that something has happened and think: 'What would Rupert think about this?'

"It's like a mantra inside your head. It's like a prism. You look at the world through Rupert's eyes."

Murdoch described the remarks as "nonsense and I think you should take it in the context of Mr Yelland's very strange autobiography".

Murdoch also stood by comments he made at the inquiry yesterday, when he claimed that former prime minister Gordon Brown threatened to "declare war" on News Corporation, after the Sun warned it would be pulling its support of the Labour party ahead of the 2010 general election.

Brown issued a statement last night describing the claims as "wholly wrong", adding: "I hope Mr Murdoch will have the good grace to correct his account."

However, Murdoch replied today: "I said that very carefully yesterday under oath and stand by every word of it."

Asked about News Corporation's bid for the remaining shares in BSkyB, and whether he had met culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, Murdoch said: "I don't think so - I have no memory of it."

He later added: "Did I assume that Mr Hunt was on our side? No."

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