Miliband: Dominance fed arrogance

The Murdoch empire's dominance of the British media fuelled its "arrogance", Ed Miliband has told the Leveson Inquiry.

The Labour leader said News International had "a sense of power without responsibility" because of its 37% share of the newspaper market and its stake in BSkyB.

Mr Miliband said he was against statutory regulation forcing newspapers to provide balanced coverage in the way broadcasters are made to.

But he insisted claims that reforms stemming from the inquiry could have a "chilling effect" on the Press are no reason for inaction.

Mr Miliband said the titles owned by the News International stable combined with its broadcast interests represented a "big concentration".

"Part of the arrogance, and I use the word advisedly, came from that," he added.

"Part of News International's sense of power without responsibility came from the fact that it controlled 37% of the newspaper market."

Mr Miliband also told the inquiry he had received a "courtesy call" from James Murdoch on the day News Corporation published its "undertakings in lieu" - proposals it made to appease concerns about its planned bid to take full control of BSkyB.

Earlier Former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major has told an inquiry into press standards Murdoch asked him to change policy on Europe.

ir John said the conversation took place during a dinner in February 1997 - a few months before Labour defeated the Conservatives at an election. "Mr Murdoch said he really didn't like our European policies," Sir John told inquiry chairman Lord Justice Leveson. "That was no surprise to me."