Cameron ‘Tainted’ by Ties to News Corp., Labour’s Miliband Says

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron is “tainted” by his ties to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband will tell supporters.

In a speech today in Birmingham, central England, Miliband will point to evidence disclosed at Judge Brian Leveson’s media- ethics inquiry, at which Cameron testified two days ago. The probe heard about a 2009 text message from then News Corp. executive Rebekah Brooks to Cameron, in which she told him that “professionally we’re definitely in this together!”

“What we now know is we have a tainted prime minister,” Miliband will say, according to speech extracts released by his office. “Tainted because he stands up for the wrong people. Tainted because he does not stand up to the rich and powerful. Tainted because he cannot be the change this country needs.”

The revelations about Cameron’s closeness to News Corp. (NWSA) executives have helped damage his Conservative Party’s poll standings, with Labour opening up a double-digit lead in most surveys over the last two months.

To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net