Culture Secretary's Aide Resigns

Adam Smith, special adviser to U.K. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, has resigned over advice he gave to News Corp. executives while the company tried to take over BSkyB. Hunt was charged with overseeing News Corp.’s bid in a “quasi-judicial role.” The emails between the secretary’s office and the News Corp. lobbyist often referred to the lobbyist’s having spoken with “JH,” but the lobbyist says “JH” simply referred to contacts in the secretary’s office, usually Adam Smith. Smith says he resigned because he created the perception that News Corp. had “too close a relationship” with the culture department.