Cameron, Rebekah Brooks and 'the Chipping Norton set': The powerful clique's gilded l
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1Rh4pQ4pL
Quote:
David Cameron and News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks are at the heart of what has become known as the ‘Chipping Norton Set’.
It is made up of powerful political and media figures who have homes in a tiny triangle in one of the most scenic parts of England – the Cotswolds. The group go to the same house parties, dine together and even ride together.
As recently as last Christmas, the Camerons went to the home Mrs Brooks shares with her second husband, Old Etonian Charlie Brooks, for a festive lunch with her boss, James Murdoch.
The meal took place just days after Mr Cameron stripped Business Secretary Vince Cable, an avowed enemy of Rupert Murdoch, of his power to decide on Mr Murdoch’s attempt to take full control of BSkyB. Responsibility was handed to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, an unabashed fan of the media mogul.
The Brookses, who married in June 2009, live in a sprawling property in Chipping Norton, barely a mile from David Cameron’s £750,000 constituency home in Dean, near Charlbury.
At the wedding, held on the Brooks estate, Mr Cameron – who has gone riding in the local countryside with Mrs Brooks – exchanged a ‘high-five’ greeting with PR fixer Matthew Freud.
Freud – married to Murdoch’s daughter Elisabeth, who recently sold her TV company Shine to News Corp – lives 15 miles away in the £5 million 22-bedroom Burford Priory, set in 15 acres.
Freud is the ultimate networker, whose clients benefit from his proximity to power. His company, Freud Communications, has pocketed hundreds of thousands of pounds in fees from the Coalition since the Election.
By far the most lavish parties in the Chipping Norton set are thrown by the Freuds. The most spectacular in recent years was Elisabeth Murdoch’s 40th birthday, held at the priory in October 2008. Tory guests included the Camerons, Chancellor George Osborne and wife Frances, and Andy Coulson. The Labour elite turned out, too. Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson, David Miliband, Tessa Jowell and Labour pollster Philip Gould and his publisher wife Gail Rebuck were all there.
In the summer of 2008, the Camerons were flown in Freud’s private plane, a Gulfstream IV, to meet Rupert Murdoch on his yacht, Rosehearty, off the Greek island of Santorini. Also on board were singer Billy Joel and Mr and Mrs Brooks. The Freuds’ yacht, the Elisabeth F, was moored nearby.
Afterwards, Cameron was flown on to Turkey in the jet for a family holiday. The two vessels then sailed on to Corfu where the Freud-Murdoch party enjoyed a dinner at Rothschild’s holiday home on the island.
|
They're in each other's pockets ..... ;)
Perhaps they swap wives ..... :conf:
|
