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London - Britain’s coalition government will vote in favour of a Labour opposition parliamentary motion calling on News Corp to withdraw its bid for pay TV operator BSkyB , a spokesperson for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday.
“The prime minister will support it and the government will support it,” the spokesperson told reporters.
The Liberal Democrats, the junior partners in the Conservative-led coalition government, will also vote in favour of the motion, according to a party source.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is overseeing the decision on the takeover bid in a quasi-judicial role, will abstain from the vote on Wednesday.
The vote is non-binding but cross-party support for the motion would send a strong signal to News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch that he would be acting against the will of parliament if the bid was not withdrawn.
Shares in BSkyB fell on the news, to be down 3.3% after earlier trading down about 1%.
“The prime minister will support it and the government will support it,” the spokesperson told reporters.
The Liberal Democrats, the junior partners in the Conservative-led coalition government, will also vote in favour of the motion, according to a party source.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is overseeing the decision on the takeover bid in a quasi-judicial role, will abstain from the vote on Wednesday.
The vote is non-binding but cross-party support for the motion would send a strong signal to News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch that he would be acting against the will of parliament if the bid was not withdrawn.
Shares in BSkyB fell on the news, to be down 3.3% after earlier trading down about 1%.
