Tom Watson, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on reports that Fox and Sky have reached an agreement on the terms of a takeover deal, said:

“This bid was abandoned in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal, and now it’s back. The Secretary of State must refer the bid to Ofcom, to assess whether it would result in too much media power being concentrated in too few hands, and whether Rupert and James Murdoch are ‘fit and proper persons’ to run a broadcaster. 

"Labour’s position has been consistent throughout; the Government cannot be allowed to ditch the vital second part of the Leveson Inquiry, which would look at questions around unlawful or improper conduct within the Murdoch empire, at exactly the moment when Rupert Murdoch is attempting once again to strengthen his hold over the UK media. 

"Fox is attempting to finalise this deal as the Christmas break approaches - but there is still time for the Government to intervene. They must express their view to Parliament before Christmas.

"When she stood on the steps of Downing Street this summer, the Prime Minister said to the people of this country that 'When we take the big calls, we’ll think not of the powerful, but you’. This is a big call. The Government needs to decide whose side it’s on.”