Jeremy Hunt facing inquiry over media donations

CULTURE Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to be investigated by Westminster’s sleaze watchdog, it emerged today.

It follows claims he failed to register donations from media firms.

It comes after a complaint by Labour MP Stephen McCabe.

Mr McCabe raised concerns about a series of “networking events”. They involved eight creative industry organisations which culture minister Ed Vaizey said he and Mr Hunt had attended while in opposition.

Whilst Mr Vaizey recorded the events in the register of interests as donations in kind worth a total of around £27,000, Mr Hunt did not mention them in his own entry in the register, said Mr McCabe.

The Culture Secretary has come under fire from Labour over the closeness of his office’s links with News International during its bid for BSkyB.

His spokesperson said today that he had amended his register entry since the complaint was raised.

She declined to comment on the allegations, but said that Mr Hunt would co-operate with the commissioner’s inquiry.