'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 hacking scandal timeline

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/188129.html

Although the storm surrounding News of the World and Rupert Murdoch's influence in British establishment has now capture almost entire media , the hacking scandal dates back to a few years ago.

August 8, 2006:

Police arrest the News of the World's royal editor, Clive Goodman, and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, over the accusations that they hacked into the mobile phones of members of the royal household.

January 2007:

Clive Goodman jailed for four months and Glenn Mulcaire for six months, after they admitted intercepting messages on royal aides' phones. Andy Coulson resigns as News of the World's editor, claiming to know nothing about the hacking.

July 2007:

Andy Coulson chosen to be the communications director for the Conservative-led government under David Cameron.

July 2009:

The Guardian newspaper initiates making a range of accusations against the News of the World, revealing their illegal actions refer to much further than the 2007 royal phone hacking. The allegations demonstrates that several politicians, athletes and celebrities were the victim of a similar hack.

September 2009:

Scotland Yard confirms suspected hacking victims were found in the royal household, government, and police.

February 2010:

A report published by the Guardian reveal that the country's three major phone companies had found that customers in 2007 had their voice mails hacked by Goodman and Mulcaire.

December 2010:

Andy Coulson's allegations are dropped, since there was not enough evidence. The charges sprang from allegations that Coulson had confirmed the plan to hack into Prince William's phone messages.

January 2011:

Scotland Yard begins a fresh inquiry after receiving significant new information from the News of the World's publisher, News International. Meanwhile, the paper dismisses its assistant editor ,Ian Edmondson, for hacking actress Sienna Miller's cell phone.

Andy Coulson announces he will step aside as Prime Minister's communications advisor, because of frequent condemnation over the phone hacking coverage.

July 4, 2011:

The Guardian reveals that the UK tabloid News of the World meddled the police investigation into the disappearance of Milly's in March 2002, by hacking into the 13-year old's cellphone.

Her family's lawyer Mark Lewis issues a statement, calling the phone hacking "heinous" and "despicable,” since it offered the family false hope that she was alive.

July 5, 2011:

Rebekah Brooks, former editor of the News of the World, publishes a statement claiming she was “appalled” and “shocked” when she heard about the phone hacking. She was the editor at the time of Milly's disappearance.

Glenn Mulcaire also issues a statement expressing his regret for anyone hurt by his activity. Claiming he never planned to interfere with police investigation.

July 6, 2011:

Prime Minister David Cameron announces public inquiry into the scandal.

Rupert Murdoch considers the phone hacking allegations as ''deplorable and unacceptable'' but says Rebekah Brooks will continue as the company's chief executive.

July 7, 2011:

UK police ask for public's patience as the investigators call nearly 4,000 potential hacking victims.

Prime Minister David Cameron was under constant pressure from the UK politicians and critics for having close relationship with the news of the World's high ranking executives.

News International announces it is to close the News of the World tabloid due to the phone hacking scandal.

James Murdoch, leading the newspaper's European operations, says the 168-year-old newspaper will make its last publication on Sunday.