Chipping Norton set

The Chipping Norton set is a group of media, political and show-business acquaintances who have homes near the market town of Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, England.[1] Chipping Norton is located approximately 75 miles from London. The group gained media attention in the wake of the News International phone hacking scandal, which directly involved members of the group.

The term "Chipping Norton set" was included in the 19th edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, published in 2012.[2]

Members

In 2012, The Daily Telegraph identified the following people as being part of a "Chipping Norton Set":

Other prominent local residents include Anthony Bamford, Baron Bamford, chairman of J. C. Bamford (JCB) and his wife Carole, who live in Daylesford House in nearby Daylesford, Gloucestershire; Anthony Bamford is a major donor to the Conservative Party.[15]

Notable gatherings

Brooks' wedding reception

The guestlist for Rebekah and Charlie Brooks' wedding reception near Chipping Norton in 2009 was described by The Guardian as a "powerlist." Guests included then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron, and the CEO of News Corporation Rupert Murdoch.[16] Rebekah Brooks was the editor of The Sun at the time of her marriage.

The couple repeated their vows in a lakeside ceremony in front of 240 guests, who included Jeremy Clarkson—at whose house the couple met—and Will Lewis, Charles Dunstone, Dow Jones chief executive Les Hinton; and Rupert Murdoch's children James, Elisabeth, and her husband Matthew Freud.[15]

2010 Christmas dinner
Main article: News Corporation takeover bid for BSkyB

On 23 December 2010, James Murdoch and Prime Minister David Cameron were guests at a dinner at the home of Rebekah and Charlie Brooks.[17] Brooks was by then chief executive of News International (a subsidiary of News Corporation), and Murdoch was chairman of BSkyB in which News Corporation has a controlling minority stake. The meal took place two days after Cameron had been forced to replace the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, as the minister scrutinising News Corporation's bid for BSkyB. Until April 2012 Cameron had refused to issue an outright denial that he spoke about BSkyB during the dinner with Murdoch in 2010.[17]

Murdoch confirmed that they had discussed the bid at the dinner in his testimony to the Leveson Inquiry in April 2012.[17] James Murdoch said he sought assurances at the meal that Jeremy Hunt, who took over Cable's brief, would be more "objective"; Cable had told undercover The Daily Telegraph reporters he had "declared war on Mr Murdoch." Cable was referring to James Murdoch's father, Rupert.[17]

Cameron was accused in 2011 of breaking Parliament's ministerial code of conduct by failing to avoid a possible conflict of interest in attending the Christmas dinner, but he refused to allow an inquiry by Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell. Cameron declared in Parliament that he had "never had one inappropriate conversation" and that he "completely took myself out of any decision-making about this bid". A spokesman later said that Cameron had "not been involved in any of the discussions about BSkyB."[17] James Murdoch has met Cameron twice since he became Prime Minister, at the Christmas dinner at the Brooks' and a lunch at Chequers in November 2010.

Before Murdoch's testimony in April 2012 fellow dinner guest Jeremy Clarkson claimed in July 2011 that Murdoch could not have discussed the BSkyB with Cameron as the Prime Minister and Rebekah Brooks had spent the entire evening discussing sausage rolls.[7] In her testimony to the Leveson Inquiry Brooks stated that she and Cameron had attended a second party a few days later on Boxing Day, at her sister-in-law's house.[18]

'Horsegate'

A horse, Raisa, was loaned to Rebekah Brooks by the Metropolitan Police from 2008–2010, stabled at the Brooks' farm and was subsequently returned to the police in a "poor condition."[19][20] In March 2012, David Cameron confirmed that he had ridden the horse with Charlie Brooks before he became Prime Minister in 2010.[20] Cameron had previously stated that he had not. The leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband said that Cameron was in danger of becoming a symbol of "how leading politicians get too close to the powerful media."[20]

Cameron apologised for a "confusing picture" to emerge over his connection to Raisa. Cameron said that he was sorry to hear that Raisa "is no longer with us...I think I should probably conclude by saying I don't think I will be getting back into the saddle any time soon."[20] On Charlie Brooks, Cameron had earlier told 5 News, "He is a friend of mine of 30 years' standing and a neighbour in my constituency, so that's a matter of record. But since I have been prime minister I think I have been on a horse once, and it wasn't that one."[20] Before Cameron confirmed that he had ridden the horse, Jeremy Clarkson said of the affair that "I can categorically state that he never rode that horse. I do actually live there. It's all rubbish."[20]

Commentary

Nick Cohen wrote in the Observer in May 2012 that "The non-Murdoch press will not shirk our duty to recall the fabulous social whirl that was once the "Chipping Norton Set." We will remind you of how Brooks, Elisabeth Murdoch and Matthew Freud slapped and scratched the backs of David and Samantha Cameron at country homes, while Jeremy Clarkson flitted in and out of their parties – gambolling through the Cotswolds like a portly court fool."[21]

Peter Oborne described the Chipping Norton set as "an incestuous collection of louche, affluent, power-hungry and amoral Londoners",[22] while Christina Odone said that "Chipping Norton remains a state of mind. It's where the stars of Westminster and White City can be machos of the manor, shooting, riding and drinking...Top Londoners who can afford the £750,000 per cottage lifestyle here lead a phoney county life where a BlackBerry is charged, not picked...Anywhere else in the world, country folk are desperate to appear city sophisticates; it's only in Britain that urbanites invest millions in buying a "country" pedigree."[23]

Comedian Graeme Garden, who has lived locally for 30 years, said, "I can think of more acceptable reasons for Chipping Norton to be put on the map, rather than through any association with sleazy journalism... But Chipping Norton will get over it."[24] The Mayor of Chipping Norton said that "We would prefer to be put on the map for more positive things."[24] His wife, the mayoress, added, "Surely people are allowed to have supper at Christmas with their neighbours...Such a lot has been made of the celebrity factor. But we have a lot of well-known people in the area...because it is a beautiful place, and people are allowed to get on with things."[24]

In his book I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan, fictional conservative ex-BBC presenter Alan Partridge said that he "would love to live in Chipping Norton; Brooks, Cameron, Clarkson, Murdoch. Drinking champagne and laughing our heads off at everyone else."[25]

See also

References
  1. Tom Watson; Martin Hickman (19 April 2012). Dial M for Murdoch: News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain. Penguin Books. pp. 111–. ISBN 978-0-241-96105-6. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  2. Jennifer Cockerell (27 September 2012). "'Big society' makes it into Brewer's Dictionary". The Independent. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  3. Stephen Glover (8 June 2009). "Will Rupert enjoy this modern tale of Antony and Cleopatra?". The Independent. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  4. Susanna Andrews (8 February 2012). "Untangling Rebekah Brooks". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  5. Roy Grennslade (9 September 2012). "Rebekah Brooks's husband - 'people don't know the true story yet'". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  6. Caroline Dewar (5 March 2012). "Who's who in the Chipping Norton set". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  7. Helen Lewis (17 July 2011). "Jeremy Clarkson defends the "Chipping Norton set"". New Statesman. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  8. Hugh Grant (12 April 2011). "The bugger, bugged". New Statesman. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  9. Wendell Steavenson (25 April 2010). "Born to lead - but where?". Prospect. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  10. Jay Rayner (4 March 2011). "Blur star Alex James tells of shock and fury over farm festival that became a financial nightmare". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  11. "The Big Feastival". Archived from the original on 23 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  12. "£40,000 Raid on Burford Priory". Oxford Mail. Newsquest. 26 March 2009.
  13. Cassandra Jardine (3 April 2002). "'We're not useless upper-class girls'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  14. "William Tuner - Executive profile". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  15. Vikram Dodd (31 May 2010). "Conservatives confirm leading party donor withdrew from peerage list". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  16. Stephen Brook (14 June 2009). "Conservatives confirm leading party donor withdrew from peerage list". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  17. Gordon Rayner (24 April 2012). "James Murdoch discussed BSkyB bid with David Cameron over dinner". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  18. Ian Katz (5 March 2012). "More details emerge of Rebekah Brooks and David Cameron's cosy Christmas". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  19. "Police horse lent to Rebekah Brooks was in 'poor' state on return". BBC News Online. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  20. Helene Mulholland (2 March 2012). "David Cameron horse saga ridiculous but symbolic, says Ed Miliband". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  21. Nick Cohen (6 May 2012). "Why Cameron daren't cast Murdoch adrift". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  22. Peter Oborne (7 June 2011). "David Cameron is in the sewer because of his News International friends". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  23. Christina Odone (7 June 2011). "Notebook: the Cotswolds, where City boys parade as machos of the manor". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  24. Caroline Davies (7 October 2011). "Phone hacking connection is Chipping Norton's unwanted claim to fame". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  25. "Alan Partridge interviewed by Richard Bacon - audio". The Guardian. 6 October 2011.
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