Alexander Lebedev continues to give journalists the impression he is on the verge of buying The Independent – in the face of categorical denials from the other side.
Media Week this week reported that Lebedev “has put himself firmly in line to buy The Independent and last week met Gavin O’Reilly“.
Meanwhile, Indy managing director Simon Kelner has told The Guardian that Lebedev has never met Independent News and Media managing director Gavin O’Reilly.
Back in June Media Weekreported that Lebedev was in advanced talks to buy The Independent, only for the story to come to nothing.
It seems that Lebedev’s comments may need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Greenslade admits that a blog posting he put up yesterday headlined: Lebedev in talks to buy Independent was the opposite of the truth, and he blames Media Week for getting the wrong end of the stick.
Earlier this month, Lebedev told an interviewer that he was suffering from mercury poisoning, possibly after being the victim of Litvenko style attack.
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