'No stone unturned' in hacking inquiry

Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin made the promise yesterday as detectives restarted a "swift and robust" inquiry into the actions of staff at the News of the World.

He vigorously defended keeping the case closed for four years, saying it was reopened in the light of "highly significant" new information passed to police by the newspaper.

Detectives must consider where the dossier of information will lead them under the full glare of the media spotlight as alleged victims of the controversy continue to emerge, including Labour frontbencher and former Cabinet Minister Tessa Jowell who contacted police after her mobile phone company alerted her to an apparent attempt to access her voicemail last week.

The new police inquiry is the most significant development in the controversy since the News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman was imprisoned almost exactly four years ago in 2007 alongside private investigator Glenn Mulcaire after they admitted intercepting messages by using industry codes to access voicemails.

The Met acted after detectives were handed information uncovered earlier this week during an internal inquiry, including a trawl of emails held on company servers, at the newspaper.

Ian Edmondson, the newspaper's head of news, was sacked two days ago after evidence emerged that he was linked to the hacking of mobile phones belonging to high profile individuals.

He had been named in documents lodged on behalf of actress Sienna Miller as part of a civil case brought by her legal representatives at the High Court after they obtained police papers.

Ms Jowell said she was concerned about whether her friends and family had also been targeted and was alerted to last week's attempt by her phone provider which advised her to contact the police.