Education secretary Michael Gove has denied having advanced knowledge of News Corporation’s BSkyB bid.The minister – who described News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch as one of the “most impressive and significant figures of the past 50 years” – admitted it would have been important if he knew about the bid before it was officially launched in June 2010.Gove was asked about a series of meetings with News Corp executives, including Murdoch and former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, at the time but denied speaking about the proposed takeover, which he said he had not followed as closely as others at the time.He said he discussed education at a meeting with Murdoch, Brooks and others on May 19, 2010. He went on to say it was “highly unlikely” the bid was mentioned when he gave a lunchtime interview to a Times journalist, during a News International board meeting on June 15.He added: “[The bid was not mentioned] in my hearing. I arrived after the board had been having their discussion and my interaction with any of the board was limited, because I arrived and was ushered to a sort of Parkinson-style seat where Daniel Finkelstein asked me a series of questions, and then I was able to thank my host and then leave.”He said he had not discussed his view on the failed takeover with colleagues but admitted they could infer his thoughts on the bid.Gove also denied discussing phone hacking with Murdoch or Brooks over two meetings in June 2011.He told the inquiry: “I tried to exercise appropriate judgment on all occasions... I think there are certain common sense judgments which would apply to politicians, judges, barristers, about exactly when you make your excuse and leave, and when you say, ‘that’s a very kind offer, but I fear I can’t accept’.”Gove – who worked for the Murdoch-owned Times as a leader writer and comment, news, Saturday and assistant editor - said he enjoyed meeting the proprietor as a journalist and as a politician.He added: “There are few entrepreneurs who have taken risks in the way that he has, and therefore generated employment but also controversy in the way in which he has.“I enjoyed meeting with him when I was a journalist. I subsequently enjoyed meeting him when I was a politician, and I would also say that as well as having been a successful businessman, I think that the position that he took on, for example, the European single currency has been vindicated by events.”Robert Jay QC, inquiry counsel, asked about a failed proposal for News International to open an academy school in East London, in 2010.Gove said he had a meeting on November 30 with James Murdoch, Brooks, Will Lewis, Times editor James Harding, London mayor Boris Johnson and others to discuss whether Newham Council would provide a building for the venture. He said the proposal was made to fulfil the company’s corporate responsibility charter.Jay QC probed the minister on the involvement of Joel Klein – former chancellor of New York City’s Department of Education and News Corp board member – and whether Murdoch had been hoping to make a profit from the school. Gove said he knew nothing about Wireless Generation – an educational subsidiary of the company – although was aware Murdoch had an interest in technology changing education.He added: "I believe that Rupert Murdoch was only interested in establishing a school for purely philanthropic reasons.”Gove said newspaper proprietors attempt to influence politicians but said most contact with the press is above board.He said: “It’s certainly the case that there are sometimes elements of the relationships between politicians and journalists that can be a little rough-edged. I think that is certainly true. And it is also the case that there are some politicians and some journalists who develop over time a close relationship, which may not altogether be in the public interest. But in my experience, most politicians and most journalists have a proper sense of the boundaries between each.”Asked by Lord Justice Leveson why politicians and journalists were unpopular with the public he replied: “T’was ever thus”.He told the inquiry he had met Daily Mail editor-in-chief Paul Dacre on at least two occasions, and described him as “one of the most impressive editors of our age”.