James Murdoch claims he had 'tiny' chat with Cameron over BskyB takeover bid

London, Apr 25 (ANI): Former chairman of News International James Murdoch has claimed that he and Prime Minister David Cameron had discussed the controversial News Corporation's bid to take over British satellite broadcaster BskyB.

Cameron had previously played down suggestions that he talked about the eight billion dollars bid during a meal at the home of Rebekah Brooks, the then chief executive of News International, on December 23, 2010.

According to The Telegraph, Murdoch confirmed for the first time that he asked Cameron for assurances the bid would be dealt with "objectively".

The paper quoted Murdoch, as saying that the conversation was "a tiny side conversation before dinner".

Sources close to Cameron, however, suggested that he "genuinely couldn't remember" the conversation, which was why he had never issued an outright denial that it took place.

A Labour MP has now asked the Cabinet Secretary to carry out an investigation into whether Cameron broke Parliament's Ministerial Code, which states that ministers must "avoid possible conflicts of interest" in their private dealings with acquaintances.

Cameron had been repeatedly questioned in Parliament about the Christmas dinner in the Cotswolds, when he insisted that he had not said anything that could not be repeated in front of a select committee.

"I never had one inappropriate conversation, and completely took myself out of any decision making about this bid," he had said last year. (ANI)