Microsoft accused of threatening MPs with job cuts over IT reforms

Meanwhile, Skype is summoned to Belgian court after refusing to share call data

Microsoft is under fire on two fronts right now, as the company has been accused of misusing lobbying tactics to threaten MPs with company job cuts if government IT reforms went through, while in an unconnected story, Skype has been summoned by a Belgian court after failing to share call data to aid a criminal investigation.

The IT reform allegation comes from prime minister David Cameron's former strategy chief Steve Hilton who, speaking at a recent event in London to promote his new book, stated:

"When we proposed [new government IT legislation], Microsoft phoned Conservative MPs with Microsoft R&D facilities in their constituencies and said, ‘we will close them down in your constituency if this goes through'."

Hilton went on to say that the practice was not restricted to Microsoft.

"We had the same from other tech companies as well ... We had the stories from the MPs saying I've just had this call from - sometimes a global CEO - phoning a Conservative MP, saying we will close down this plant."

Hilton said there was only way to combat such behaviour: "We just resisted," he said.

"You have to be brave. You just have to say sorry: it's the right thing to do."

Hilton was critical of the lobbying industry because of such aggressive practices.

Microsoft's other spot of bother comes from Mechelen, just north of Brussels in Belgium.

Asked by the court for messages and calls exchanged on its Skype communications platform in order to help a criminal investigation, Microsoft refused to comply, rejecting with the court's assertion that the service counts as a telecommunications operator.

"The judicial question is whether Skype is also a telecoms operator," a court spokesman said, adding that if this was found to be so, Microsoft would be forced to pass on the data.

Microsoft has so far released no further comment on the matter.