CMA Grilled By UK MP Over Microsoft – Activision Decision, Asked About FTC Interactions

gameranx.com:

The CMA just went through a public grilling after talking to the UK Parliament about their recent decisions, including but not limited to the Microsoft – Activision deal.

Our primary source is Florian Mueller, who we have previously used as a source for news and updates on this story. In this case, we won’t deny Florian has a bias in this story, but he also has a good track record of sharing factual information. We will clarify when necessary when he shares opinion vs facts about the hearing.

We have also watched part of the hearing ourselves to take some key quotes. You can see the hearing online here.

This is a general oversight hearing, scheduled in anticipation of Microsoft’s and Activision’s appeal of the CMA decision. The CMA has been facing complaints for several of their decisions, not only the Microsoft Activision deal. On hand for the meeting are the CMA Chair Marcus Bokkerink, and the CMA chief executive, Sarah Cardell.

With that in mind, here’s a summary of Florian’s thread about the hearing.

The hearing actually started off talking about the Microsoft Activision deal itself. Sarah explained the details of their decision, and that they found Microsoft’s remedy proposals to be insufficient.

While Sarah explained that decisions are made by independent inquiry groups, Florian chimes in here that it’s well known that she pushed for this decision to block.

The big moment came when MP Bim Afolami, representing Hitchin and Harpenden and coming from the British Conservative Party, started grilling Sarah in very specific ways.

After already asking once, Bim clarified his question, saying:

“What I’m asking precisely is the international reputation of the UK, do you consider that at all? Either on a decision by decision