Wednesday, July 20, 2011

UK Commons to grill PM over hacking


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/189925.html

British parliament will grill Prime Minister David Cameron today over his decision to employ a former News of the World editor involved in a phone-hacking scandal.

The scandal, which first centered Rupert Murdoch's News Corp global media empire, is now closing in on No. 10 Downing Street and is fuelling opposition attacks on Cameron's judgement.

It has had the potential to rock Britain's establishment with the resignation of two top policemen including the Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and assistant commissioner John Yates and the forced resignations of senior executives at the company including Rebekah Brooks, the chairman of the tabloid.

Possibly, David Cameron came to the conclusion that if he didn't come and give a statement to the House on Wednesday, probably the opposition would have demanded that Parliament be recalled.

Last night, the Prime Minister was dragged deeper into the phone-hacking saga after it emerged that a key suspect gave media advice to his office in the run-up to the May 2010 general election.

Ex-News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis, who was arrested last week, acted as an informal adviser to Cameron's former communications chief Andy Coulson, said a Conservative Party spokesman.

“It has been drawn to our attention that he may have provided Andy Coulson with some informal advice on a voluntary basis before the election”, said the spokesman.

“We can confirm that apart from Andy Coulson, neither David Cameron nor any senior member of the campaign team were aware of this until this week”, he said.

In a separate twist, it also emerged that one of Cameron's most senior officials stopped Scotland Yard from briefing the Prime Minister on the phone-hacking scandal.

MPs heard yesterday how Ed Llewellyn, Cameron's chief of staff, rejected an offer by outgoing assistant commissioner John Yates to talk to Cameron after the New York Times published an article alleging that Coulson 'actively encouraged' phone hacking while he was editor of the News of the World.

Llewellyn, an old school friend of Cameron and one of his most trusted advisers, flatly rejected the offer on the grounds that it was 'inappropriate' and adding that he 'would be grateful if it were not raised please'.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for commenting on this post. Please consider sharing it on Facebook or Twitter for a wider discussion.

Russian / Ukraine War - (Mar 08th, 2024)

How the Ukraine War Changed the World - (Mar 01st, 2024)

Redacted - Egypt's betrayal of Palestine - Vanessa Beeley

CrossTalk | Magical thinking - (Feb 28th, 2024)

Hillary Clinton Interrupted & Called Out in Berlin

We don’t want war with Israel, but if they impose it on us, we are ready – Hezbollah

ICJ delivers ruling in favour of South Africa

ICJ ruling | Court stops short of ordering Gaza ceasefire, demands that Israel prevent genocide

South Africa's Closing Argument Against Israel for Genocide at the ICJ

Wider Middle East war. US, UK strike Yemen

U.S., UK Start Another Unwinnable War In Yemen

Geopolitical Storm Brewing from Palestine to Ukraine

How the US Global Order is Challenged - With Pepe Escobar (Nov 20, 2023)

Shahid Bolsen - Message to the Israeli people

Roger Waters - To Whom It May Concern: Please Stop.

US policy slowing down China's economy w/ Jeffrey Sachs

Max Blumenthal s destroys RFKJr's outrageous Israelí Propaganda

Totalitarianism, Censorship and Syria with Peter Lavelle, Vanessa Beeley & Kevork Almassian

Putin shows treaty on Ukraine’s neutrality, signed by Kiev but dumped under Western pressure

Assad's speech at the Arab League Summit - what it means for the future of the region

Assad returns to Arab League

HUGE China brokered deal, Iran & Saudi Arabia restore diplomatic ties

Nord Stream pipeline & sabotaging peace w/Jeffrey Sachs

The Tragedy of Ukraine

Historical Events that Led to the Start of the Ukraine Conflict

Your Wars Will Destroy the Planet - Roger Waters

Healthy Athletes suffer Heart Problems After Getting the Jab