The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

What Gove's meetings with Murdoch tell us

Is News Corp looking to set up its own free schools?

By George Eaton Published 27 July 2011 14:06

Of all the meetings that cabinet ministers had with News International executives (on average, a member of the cabinet met a Murdoch executive every three days), it is Michael Gove's that are the most eye catching. The Education Secretary listed 11 meetings at which executives from the company were present, including seven with Rupert Murdoch. Gove met the News Corp head more times than any other minister and had dinner with him twice last month.

Here's the full list:

19 May 2010 Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), Rebekah Brooks (News International), plus more than ten others. Dinner and general discussion.

10 June 2010 Rebekah Brooks (News International), plus several others. Dinner and general discussion.

17 June 2010 News International executives and senior editors, including Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Rebekah Brooks (News International). Lunch and general discussion.

21 October 2010 Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), Rebekah Brooks (News International), James Harding (The Times), Dominic Mohan (The Sun), James Murdoch (News Corporation), Colin Myler (News of the World), John Witherow (Sunday Times) plus more than ten others. Dinner after Centre for Policy Studies lecture.

30 November 2010 Rebekah Brooks (News International), Will Lewis (News International), James Harding (The Times). Academy visit.

17 December 2010 Rebekah Brooks (News International) plus several others. Social.

25 - 28 January 2011 Joel Klein (now News Corporation, former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education and Assistant Attorney General to President Clinton), visiting UK as guest of DfE to explain and discuss US education policy success, including large conference platform and assorted dinners with senior figures from education and the media, including Rupert Murdoch. Including private and public events

31 January 2011 Rebekah Brooks (News International), plus several others. Dinner hosted by Academy sponsor Charles Dunstone.

19 May 2011 James Harding (The Times), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), James Murdoch (News Corporation), Rebekah Brooks (News International). Breakfast and general discussion.

16 June 2011 Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation) plus several others. Dinner and general discussion.

26 June 2011 Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), plus several others. Dinner and general discussion.

It all suggests, as Andy Burnham said, a rather strange set of priorities. The shadow education secretary noted that in his first seven months, Gove "didn't manage to visit a single sixth form college, further education college or special school."

So, what's the explanation? Gove is, of course, a former Times journalist, who, we know from the register of members' interests, received £5,000 a month for his weekly column. He is also due to write a biography of Viscount Bolingbroke for the Murdoch-owned Harper Collins. Then there's his friendship with Murdoch consigliere Joel Klein (he sat next to Wendi Deng at the select committee hearing), the former chancellor of the New York department of education, who is now the head of News Corp's new "management and standards committee" and the CEO of its growing education division. Significantly, it was Klein's charter schools that served as one of the key inspirations for Gove's "free schools" project.

A spokesman for Gove said: "He's known Rupert Murdoch for over a decade. He did not discuss the BSkyB deal with the Murdochs and isn't at all embarrassed about his meetings, most of which have been about education which is his job."

The News Corp head, it seems, is taking an increasing interest in the subject. At last month's Times CEO summit (£) he called for all pupils to be provided with tablet computers, adding that he would be "thrilled" if 10 per cent of News Corp's revenues came from education in the next five years. Wireless Generation, an education technology company recently acquired by Murdoch for $360m, was awarded a a $27 million no-bid contract by the New York education department.

It begs the question of whether News Corp is looking to set up its own free schools. In response to such a query, Times columnist and executive editor Daniel Finkelstein tweeted:

News Corp is indeed taking an interest in the creation of new schools. That is precisely what mtgs were about!

It's not hard to see why the company is "taking an interest", particularly if the schools are eventually allowed to make a profit. But, to coin a phrase, would News Corp really be considered a "fit and proper" company to run a school?

Even if the company's ambitions are limited to digital learning systems and other services, it could find itself under scrutiny. In the wake of the hacking scandal, the NY education department is under pressure to revoke the $27 million contract it awarded to Wireless Generation. Mark Johnson, a spokesman for controller Thomas DiNapoli, has announced that the scandal will be taken into account in the state review process for the contract. But will Gove allow News Corp to make similar inroads into English education?

Update: The Sun's former political editor George Pascoe Watson (now a partner at Portland Communications) notes on Twitter: "[I]s News Corp looking to set up its own free schools?>The Sun+Civitas already have done."

A glance at the Civitas website shows that the Sun funds a Saturday school at the Ensign Youth Club in Wapping.

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Tags: Michael Gove

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24 comments

Wed, 2011-07-27 15:47 — Sajid (not verified)

The same query is M Gove "a fit & proper person" to be i/c of schoolkids?

Wed, 2011-07-27 15:54 — damianneum

Lionel: Well spotted, I've corrected that error.

Sat, 2011-08-06 18:58 — Tom (not verified)

This only continues the gap between the haves and the have nots.

This isn't the first attempt at corporate charter schools. Donald Trump started his own "University of Business". Why anyone would actually accredit that is astounding.

Wed, 2011-07-27 16:06 — swatantra

Free schools? This could mean that the SUN's reading age could well go up from 9 to 11 years. But pupils will never ever complete the TIMES's crossword.

Wed, 2011-07-27 16:41 — Mrs,M L Bonwick-Jones (not verified)

Far more telling is the fact that Rupert Murdoch was known at the 24th member of the cabernet under Blair everything had to go past the famous 3 Murdoch, Brown and Prescott and now Blair claims that they were not too close.
Lou-- Do you truly believe labour should be the party to govern the UK,
please may i remind you of a few things -and i'm not a conserative voter by the way!
The minimum Wage-Destroyed many Low -Skilled Manufacturing jobs, destroying those proud big northern towns that used to make things so therefore consigning thousands onto long term benefits that trap you in a cycle of poverty and dependancy whilst we buy everything from china!
Massively and unsustainably expanding the state sector
Economic Mismanagement on a grand scale
Signing away Britains sovereignty
Selling Britians gold
and Labour's unlimited policy on immigration ,
Blair didnot inherit a economic disaster, he didnot have to deal with coalition partners,he had the backing of the whole country(Conservative voters too) and what did he do, is this country any better for 13 years of Labour?

Wed, 2011-07-27 17:03 — Sam (not verified)

Lionel - Lol you don't realise the problems facing schools in Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland, do you? If they're the best that the public sector can muster then I'd take my chances with a privatised education system.

Wed, 2011-07-27 17:30 — fiddler2

Elections to the other house should be 2years after a general election . This will give the people a democratic opportunity to hold the government to its manifesto/ promises and would help to curtail lies and hidden agendas. { be very useful at the moment

Sat, 2011-07-30 16:04 — Lox (not verified)

Hilarious, Gwyn. The working classes are the repository of good manners in our society. The middle classes, on the other hand, are boors to a man or woman.
I'm middle class, and so-I bet-are most of the people who read this site. I don't think I'm the enemy of working people, since, like most middle class people, I work for a living. Perhaps you can explain in what way I might be the enemy of the proletariat?
Your class obsessed sectarianism is so retro it's kind of cute.

Wed, 2011-07-27 19:30 — p j wall (not verified)

It wont matter what us so called Paranoid lefties think, even though we think it looks dodgy at best!, it`s what the public PERCEPTION is, even all you true blue right whingers have to admit this?, what relevance is Murdoch?, when did he get voted in?, why do ministers cow-tow to the murdochs for their approval?, no doubt some of you will be screaming like children "what about labour", if any of them have any sense they now realise the Murdoch approval is about as popular as a cup of cold sick!!!, the public`s had enough of these self serving SYCHOPHANTIC slimy MPs, particularly the ruling TORY/LIMP DEMS who with their over aggressive cuts preach to us that "we`re all in this together", whilst meeting an unelected Australian billionaire?, what`s the reason for all these private meetings?, the public need to know, NOW, or we the public can only come to one conclusion!, that the Tories and this country are under the grip of the MURDOCHS!!...That will be the only PERCEPTION the public can have of this!!..

Thu, 2011-07-28 20:55 — Hugh Markey (not verified)

We have long held the suspicion that Rupert is illiterate. No shame there. Govie was simply giving him a tutorial. Of course, Rupert can hardly expect to be accepted by the cream of the state educational system but there is a chance that he will qualify for the 'sunk' learning establishments left over when the 'taxpayers' free schools get off the ground. Grammar schools? You must be joking! You gotta draw the chump a diagram. He doesn't need a phone - he's got a very loud voice.

80 Plus

Thu, 2011-07-28 00:19 — statement

Perhaps there is money to be made from private education and some companies have formats and agendas they would like to promote? Harper Collins publish, NI distribute (through paywall)... If these people do it, why need the taxpayer pay? So the minister has discussions to check everything is ok? What's the problem?
Unfortunately, this is what 'we' voted for...

Thu, 2011-07-28 04:48 — David Cooper (not verified)

P.J. Wall. Sorry to be picky but Murdoch (thankfully) is not an Australian citizen. He rescinded his Oz citizenship some 15 years ago in the name of economic expediency (so he could grow the U.S. side of the business) and took up U.S. citizenship. I live in Oz and am pleased to say that his politics are more in tune with the political beliefs of our great and powerful ally than they are of the land of his birth.
His influence and the influence of lobbyists in general on government policies in both the UK and Oz (U.S. as well no doubt) is to be deplored.
I don't remember corporations ever being enfranchised!!

Thu, 2011-07-28 07:42 — Luddite (not verified)

Whats the left scared of? that these free self-governing schools with less government spending, achieve far better results than politicized and ill-disciplined state funded schools.

Thu, 2011-07-28 10:40 — Cautious (not verified)

Well one other way to look at it is the News Corp can make some use of itself if it invests in creating free school (put a good face on it after all the hacking scandal) and put the public's money to good use (those who buy the newspapers,I don't), especially since Gove's BSF has been cut. Of course their meetings is about education!?

Thu, 2011-07-28 15:11 — Gracie

The question seems obvious to me "is this a continuation of murky revelations coming from the hacking scandal, or is it a new scandal waiting to break?"

What does Sarah Teather with her slim majority of just over 1000 in Brent Central think about her boss's extraordinary involvement with News International and the fact that he had masses of time to meet the Murdochs and Brooks etc on many occasions but apparently had no time to meet with schools who he had let down and fed with misleading information on their status? Not once but several times.

Horrible hypocritical ineffectual narcissistic little runt of a man.

Wed, 2011-07-27 14:13 — Lou (not verified)

You forgot to mention Gove's wife, Sarah Vine, works for The Times too.

Wed, 2011-07-27 14:19 — Arturo Bandini (not verified)

Am I the only person who sees these numerous meetings as being uncomfortably close to "reporting to the boss". The conspiracy theorists weren't paranoid enough!

Wed, 2011-07-27 14:25 — David (not verified)

And on how many of these visits was his new best friend, his Lib Dem associate Sarah Teather, also presant as an "other"?

Wed, 2011-07-27 14:40 — Alex (not verified)

I'm sorry? £5K per month for a weekly column!!? And yet he is supposed to inspire teachers who knock their pans in daily for a fraction of that? Never mind the demoralising effect that must have on public sector workers across the board trying to make ends meet.

Wed, 2011-07-27 15:07 — charlesfrith

Extraordinary if you're right. Worthwhile considering.

Thu, 2011-07-28 17:28 — Gwyn Williams (not verified)

So the UK establishment is rotten to the core. What else is new ?. Some time ago the NS reviewed a book, alleging that standards of civility and good manners had declined with the decline in number of working class people. The corollary is that the loss of such values, along with an increase in individualism, greed and corruption have accompanied the growth of the middle classes. Eric Hobsbawn was right all along, the middle class is the real enemy of working people.

Wed, 2011-07-27 15:19 — Lou (not verified)

Mmm, right wing think tank, right wing press, right wing politicians and right wing agenda. Who really governs Britain these days.

Wed, 2011-07-27 15:25 — lionel (not verified)

"But will Gove allow News Corp to make similar inroads into British education?"
There is no British Education thank you. Poor reporting once again. Gove runs England's education system and nothing else. Wales and Scotland do our own thing and will have no truck with England's privatisation of their education system.