Bid to block Murdoch 'premature'

Calls for Business Secretary Vince Cable to block the proposed full takeover of BSkyB by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation are "premature", the UK government said yesterday.

Baroness Rawlings, answering questions for the government in the House of Lords, said that Cable's department had received a letter from a range of media organisations urging him to oppose the planned takeover. Murdoch's company owns 39 per cent of BSkyB and in June proposed paying 700p per share to buy the remaining 61 per cent.

Labour's Lord Solely called for the government to take "a very clear view against the takeover". But Rawlings said: "We have received a letter (asking for Cable to consider blocking the acquisition]. However, it is premature to speculate as the parties have not yet announced the result."