Thatcher met Murdoch 'secretly' over Times bid

Private papers from 1981 reveal that then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher met Rupert Murdoch in secret to discuss his wish to buy the Times and Sunday Times.

The official history of the Times had stated there was no direct contact between the pair at that stage.

Mr Murdoch already owned the Sun and News of the World newspapers, but ministers eventually allowed the sale because the Times was under threat of closure.

Sanchia Berg reports.