'Murdochs misled Commons on scandal'

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/194323.html

A reporter formerly working at the now shut-down British tabloid News of the World has said that the British media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his son, James, misled the Parliament about the phone-hacking scandal.

Clive Goodman, the jailed royal reporter, revealed that hacking was a widespread practice among the tabloid's senior editors, something that was rejected by Rupert and James Murdoch when the two were hauled before a parliamentary commission to address the charges against them.

The revelation comes as British MPs have published a letter by jailed journalist Clive Goodman. Goodman wrote the letter to appeal against his dismissal from the paper in 2007.

Goodman said that he carried out the hacking with the full knowledge and support of other senior journalists.

The reporter claimed in the letter that phone hacking was "widely discussed" at editorial meetings at the paper until former News of the World Andy Coulson himself banned further references to it.

The claims are acutely troubling for Prime Minister David Cameron, who hired Coulson as his media adviser on the basis that he knew nothing about phone hacking.

With the claims that have been made, Rupert and James Murdoch may also face the humiliating prospect of being recalled to parliament to justify the evidence which they gave last month on the aftermath of Goodman's allegations.

Goodman's claims also raise serious questions about Murdoch's close friend and adviser, Les Hinton, who was sent a copy of the letter but failed to pass it to the police.

The letters from Goodman and from the London law firm Harbottle & Lewis are among a cache of paperwork published by the Commons culture, media and sport select committee.

One committee member, the Labor MP Tom Watson, said Goodman's letter was "absolutely devastating".

"Clive Goodman's letter is the most significant piece of evidence that has been revealed so far. It completely removes News International's defense. This is one of the largest cover-ups I have seen in my lifetime", he said.

Goodman's letter is dated March 2, 2007, soon after he was released from a four-month prison sentence.

The revelation could also bring new allegations of a cover-up and dishonesty against Murdoch and his son, James.

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'.

Hacking crisis gets a step closer to NO 10

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/189742.html

Only fifteen months after becoming the UK Prime Minister, it has emerged that David Cameron is in office having no power to manage the country's crucial events.

Arresting Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International, was not only a critical point for Rupert Murdoch's media empire, but also get the phone hacking drama one step closer to Cameron's door. Brooks was the second person from Murdoch's empire reportedly having close relationship with Cameron.

After Brooks's arrest on Sunday, it was reported that she had formerly urged Cameron to hire Andy Coulson as the Tory's director of communications in 2007, despite his resignation as the editor of News of the World over phone hacking.

It was also said that Coulson, who gained the private support of many of the Tories, was sent from News International to the party, to help Brooks escape from her extremely dangerous situation of phone hacking.

Cameron has been obviously trying to keep away from his two close friends since the phone hacking crisis grew, but he cannot distort history. He appointed Andy Coulson twice and visited his neighbor Rebekah Brooks five times between June and December last year.

The Scandal showed yet another dramatic scene, shaking British Prime Minister's administration, when UK's senior police officer Sir Paul Stephenson resigned as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Stephenson quit, claiming the rising pressure over his relationships with former news of the World executive harmed his ability over his duties.

"I have taken this decision as a consequence of the ongoing speculation and accusations relating to the Met's links with News International at a senior level and in particular in relation to Mr Neil Wallis.”

"I had no knowledge of this disgraceful practice and the repugnant nature of the selection of victims that is now emerging, nor of its apparent reach into senior levels," he said in a televised statement at Scotland Yard.

UK phone-hack whistleblower found dead

Sean Hoare, the reporter who blew the whistle on widespread hacking at the News of the World

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/189704.html

The reporter who blew the whistle on widespread phone hacking by the British daily the News of the World has been found dead at his home in England.

Sean Hoare was found on Monday at his home in Watford, north of London, Reuters reported.

"At 10:40 a.m. today, police were called to Langley Road, Watford, following the concerns for welfare of a man who lives at an address on the street," the Hertfordshire Police said.

The police stated that his death is not considered suspicious, saying, “The death is currently being treated as unexplained, but not thought to be suspicious. Police investigations into this incident are ongoing."

Hoare said in interviews last year with The New York Times and the state-run BBC that phone-hacking was widely used and even encouraged at the News of the World and former editor Andy Coulson knew about voicemail hacking and had asked him to snoop on phone messages.

David Cameron hired Coulson as his communications chief in 2007, before he became the British prime minister. He quit the paper in 2007 after one of its reporters was jailed for secretly listening to phone messages of royal household staff to get scoops on the Queen's family.

The death report came as the scandal compelled Cameron to cut short a trip to Africa to fly home and call for an emergency session of parliament.

In addition, London's top police officers, Sir Paul Stephenson and his assistant commissioner, John Yates, resigned over the past two days over links to Neil Wallis, the former deputy editor of the News of the World.