Media influence in politics 'not seemly'

Politicians have got closer to journalists and media organisations in recent times, the chairman of the BBC Trust, has told the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

Lord Patten, said it was not "a very healthy democratic development" to see so much of journalists and executives.

He said it was a question of how "seemly" it was for a politician to appear to be manipulated.

But he said he was not sure that the practice began during the Thatcher years, except that he knew she liked arguing with intelligent journalists.