Blair’s first day came as newly released documents showed media magnate Rupert Murdoch had previously unknown extensive access to Blair during his time in office. According to the British Cabinet office, Blair and Murdoch had six telephone discussions over a 20-month period, all at pivotal moments of Blair’s time as prime minister. Three of those conversations were held in the week leading up to the U.S. and British invasion of Iraq in March of 2003 — including one call on the day before the attack. Blair phoned Murdoch in each of the conversations. Murdoch’s media holdings, including several newspapers and the Fox News network, have strongly backed the Iraq War. In his diaries, Blair’s then-communications director Alastair Campbell said Blair was afraid the media would find out about Murdoch’s influence. Campbell wrote: “It was faintly obscene that we even had to worry what [Murdoch] thought.” A deputy to Campbell called Murdoch “the 24th member of the [Blair] Cabinet.” The British government had long resisted releasing the documents but finally relented the day after Blair stepped down last month.