Tony Blair 'rejected Hillsborough inquiry as a favour for Rupert Murdoch'
Tony Blair failed to order a full inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster to avoid offending Rupert Murdoch, Andy Burnham has suggested.
The Labour leadership hopeful said he was told not to pursue his demand for an official probe into the 1989 stadium tragedy when serving under PM Blair.
As a result a âmajor injusticeâ was allowed to remain in place for more than a decade, he told journalists yesterday.
Mr Burnham was the driving force behind Gordon Brownâs decision to set up the Hillsborough Independent Panel into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans.
The panel subsequently found âmultiple failuresâ by the police and other services had contributed to the death toll, prompting David Cameron to make an official apology in 2012.
PAClaims: Tony Blair did Murdoch a favour by not ordering a full inquiry, claims Andy Burnham
Mr Burnham hinted an official inquiry could have been set up earlier but Blairâs government did not want to upset Murdochâs News International, publisher of the Sh*te rag.
The Sh*te rag caused lasting outrage by accusing âdrunkenâ Liverpool fans of attacking rescue workers.
Mr Burnham made his remarks when asked by a Sun journalist if he would give them an interview.
Another reporter then asked: âAre you saying one of the reasons there wasnât a Hillsborough inquiry sooner was because of the relations between the Labour Party and The sh*te ragâ
Mr Burnham then replied that there had been a âdecision to leave it aloneâ. But he did not name Mr Blair as responsible.
Controversial claims: Andy Burnham MP says Tony Blair did Rupert Murdoch a favour
Mr Burnham, an Evertonian, added: âIt got to the point where a whole city was crying injustice throughout our time in government and we werenât listening.
âI donât know all the background to the decision-making, but in 1998, after the Stuart Smith inquiry, a decision was taken to draw a line under it.â
Mr Burnham said he was told he should not âcarry on looking intoâ what happened at Sheffield Wednesdayâs stadium, adding: âIt was the wrong decision and allowed a major injustice to remain in place.â
Last night Mr Blair refused to comment.
Murdochâs Sh*te newspaper backed Labour at the 1997 general election. After leaving office in 2007 Mr Blair became godfather to one of Murdochâs children.
What a f**king Tosser Blair is.... But we all knew that right?...
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