Shareholder body to target Murdoch

James Murdoch will come under attack from shareholders at BSkyB’s annual meeting on Thursday after the UK telecoms watchdog called his “competence” and “attitude” into question.

Mr Murdoch stepped down as BSkyB chairman amid fears that the News International phone-hacking scandal would damage the firm, but he stayed on as non-executive director.

Shareholder group Pirc (Pensions Investment Research Consultants) has urged shareholders to vote against his re-appointment due to the criticisms levelled at Mr Murdoch by communications regulator Ofcom.