Rebekah Brooks was lent a police horse after a lunch with ex-Scotland Yard chief Lord Blair, it has been alleged.
The former Met Commissioner told Lord Justice Leveson that his former press chief will tell the inquiry that the deal over Raisa was mentioned during a meal he had with the former News International chief executive in 2008.
Lord Blair told the judicial investigation into the press that he had “absolutely no recollection of that” and claims he only found out about the police horse in recent weeks.
Last week, the Standard disclosed that Scotland Yard had lent a retired police horse to Mrs Brooks for almost two years. David Cameron was forced to admit he also rode the 22-year-old horse at Mrs Brooks’s farm in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. The saga has been dubbed “Horsegate” and is seen as a symbol of the collusion between press, politicians and police.
Today Lord Blair said that the Met’s former director of public affairs Dick Fedorcio will allege that he was involved in the deal. He said: “Mr Fedorcio will say that he was telephoned by Rebekah Brooks asking about this arrangement, … and he arranged (it) for her.” Later, he added: “This seems to have happened on the day I had lunch with her, and what I understand Mr Fedorcio is going to say is that this is what was discussed at the lunch. I have absolutely no recollection of that.”
Lord Blair also said his 15-year-old son did some work experience at The Sun, which he claimed was also arranged by Mr Fedorcio. The former police chief alleged that the landscape of policing was changed by Tony Blair in the early Nineties when he “politicised” Scotland Yard. His claim to be “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime” created “a very fierce battle” with former Tory Home Secretary Michael Mr Howard, Lord Blair said, adding: “I think that changed the atmosphere completely.”
The inquiry continues.
