WHITEHALL has released details of David Cameron’s meetings ahead of last year’s independence referendum, showing talks with Scottish business leaders and senior media figures.
Released under the UK Government’s transparency procedures, August 28, three weeks before polling day, was a particularly busy 24 hours in the Prime Minister’s diary.
According to the record, he met Nick Robinson, the BBC’s then political editor, as well as Rona Fairhead from the BBC Trust for a “general discussion”.
On the same day, Mr Cameron had talks with Gordon Smart of the Sun’s Scottish edition.
He also had a “round-table” with Scottish business owners Castle Precision Engineers, Star Equestrian, Jack Perry, MacTaggart, Scott & Co. Ltd, Maxxium UK, Ian Bankier, the Celtic Chairman, and Malcolm Group.
Then later, the PM had another general discussion with the CBI as well as CBI Scotland, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks, the Weir Group PLC, Standard Life, M Computer Technologies, ScottishPower and GPW.
Three days later, Mr Cameron had another “general discussion” with Mr Robinson, Martin Ivens of the Sunday Times and the Economist.
Two days before polling day, he also had a general talk with Paul Dacre, editor of the Daily Mail.
Downing Street also revealed that the official code of conduct for Government Ministers has been updated to make clear that they must be open about their meetings with the Press.
No 10 published the new code, which includes the new requirement that: "The Government will be open about its links with the media. All meetings with newspaper and other media proprietors, editors and senior executives will be published quarterly regardless of the purpose of the meeting."
Also released under the Government's transparency procedures were details of the PM's official guests at his Buckinghamshire country retreat Chequers. They showed Mr Cameron entertained a number of prominent journalists at the country house in the months leading up to the General Election.
Sarah Sands, editor of the London Evening Standard was entertained by Mr Cameron at Chequers as was Matthew d'Ancona, the Guardian columnist, who wrote a book about the coalition government.
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