MPs slam executives of hacking scandal tabloid

ANGRY MPs have savaged the conduct of senior executives at News International as allegations continue to emerge about the conduct of journalists and other employees at its flagship newspaper the News of the World.

Labour leader Ed Miliband led the charge against Rupert Murdoch’s powerful media organisation, repeating calls for the resignation of chief Rebekah Brooks.

Mrs Brooks was editor when murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and the families of slain children Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman allegedly had their voicemails intercepted by News of the World staff hunting for stories.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a three-hour emergency Commons debate on the latest revelations about journalistic practices at the paper, Labour MP Tom Watson also demanded the suspension of James Murdoch, Mr Murdoch’s son and the chairman of News International.

“It is clear now that he personally, without board approval, authorised money to be paid by his company to silence people who had been hacked and to cover up criminal behaviour within his organisation,” Mr Watson said.

Further allegations continued to emerge throughout the day, with Labour MP Chris Bryant suggesting there could be other high-profile victims of phone hacking.

He said: “I am told police are looking at not just Milly Dowler’s phone and those of the families of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, but the case of Madeleine McCann and 15-year-old Danielle Jones who was abducted and murdered in Essex in 2001 by her uncle Stuart Campbell.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Under pressure from Labour opponents, David Cameron agreed to at least one public inquiry into the affair, saying there were two “vital areas” that needed to be considered – why the original police inquiry into News of the World phone hacking failed to get to the bottom of what happened, as well as the behaviour, practices and ethics of journalists and media organisations.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve indicated the inquiries could be set up and begin some aspects of their work before criminal investigations were complete.

But the Prime Minister was accused of a “catastrophic error of judgement” by Mr Miliband over his decision to employ former News of the World editor Andy Coulson as his communications director in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Mr Cameron said he took “full responsibility for the decision to hire Mr Coulson, who quit his Number 10 post in January amid growing anger over alleged phone hacking. Mr Coulson has been drawn further into the row this week with claims he authorised payments to police when he edited the newspaper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson confirmed yesterday News International had given Scotland Yard documents which include information relating to “inappropriate payments to officers” in his force.

News International, for its part, said it was “very close” to discovering who commissioned private investigator Glenn Mulcaire to allegedly hack Milly’s phone after she went missing in 2002.

Simon Greenberg, the company’s director of corporate affairs, said he was “clear” that the individual was not Mrs Brooks. She has pledged her “full co-operation” with the police inquiry, promising the “strongest possible action” against those responsible.

She received support from Mr Murdoch yesterday, although the media baron added he had sent two executives from New York to oversee the affair.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The recent allegations are deplorable and unacceptable,” Mr Murdoch said. “I have made clear our company must fully and proactively co-operate with the police and that is exactly what News International has been doing and will continue to do under Rebekah Brooks’ leadership.”

An email sent by current News of the World editor Colin Myler to staff said that there would be an “extremely painful period ahead while we get to the bottom of these issues”.

MET POLICE “GUILTY OF LETHARGY”

Hull West MP and former Home Secretary Alan Johnson attacked the conduct of the Metropolitan Police yesterday over its failure to investigate the phone-hacking affair under his command.

Officers have held thousand of pages of evidence relating to the affair for the past five years – but failed to follow up on the information until repeated revelations in The Guardian forced them to open a new inquiry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Johnson said: “I have huge regard for the Metropolitan Police... Were they being evasive, were they being dishonest, were they being lethargic? I think it’s one of those three. I think there was a certain lethargy... ‘we’ve got two people banged up, do we need to go any further in to this’?”