No Sky bid probe

THE Government has cleared the way for US cable giant Comcast’s £22bn bid for Sky, saying it does not plan to raise any objections.

The decision by Culture Secretary Matt Hancock is a blow to rival bidder 21st Century Fox, which launched its £11.7bn bid for Sky in December 2016 but has since been tied up in regulatory inquiries.

Competition officials claimed letting Sky, and by extension Sky News, fall into Fox’s hands could give its chairman Rupert Murdoch too much influence over the UK media. He already owns The Sun and The Times newspapers.