Portrait of the week | 3 May 2012

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A report by the Commons culture media and sport select committee into News International and phone-hacking declared: ‘Rupert Murdoch is not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of a major international company.’ Four of the ten members of the committee did not endorse this finding. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, was called to the Commons to answer a question from Ed Miliband, the leader of the opposition, on whether he would refer the case of Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, to the independent adviser on ministerial interests (Sir Alex Allan). The question arose from Mr Hunt’s handling of News International’s application to take over BSkyB. Lord Justice Leveson declined a request from Mr Hunt to appear early before his inquiry into the media. It was also made clear that the inquiry could not rule on whether he broke the ministerial code. Lord Justice Leveson indicated separately that the second half of his inquiry, into criminal responsibility for phone hacking, might never take place.