Sky chief appeals for a fair hearing

BRITAIN should judge Rupert Murdoch’s bid for broadcaster Sky on facts and not politics, or risk stifling investment after Brexit, his son and fellow executive James Murdoch said yesterday.

Hours after the Government referred 21st Century Fox’s £12bn bid for a detailed investigation, James Murdoch struck a combative tone in defence of his family’s record in building a business that spans TV, film and news.

He was confident the Competition and Markets Authority would assess the deal on its merits and not be swayed by politicians with scores to settle over how newspapers had treated them.

‘Whether or not 30 years ago someone had a grievance about a political position that a newspaper took, that is no longer a part of the business, is irrelevant,’ said Murdoch, who is chief executive of 21st Century Fox and chairman of Sky. ‘We are confident it goes through.’

The Murdochs bought full control of Sky in December and have split it in two, separating the newspapers from the entertainment assets.