Political leaders to hear Milly family plea on hacking

THE family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler are to meet with the leaders of the country’s three main political parties to demand “stronger, clearer and faster action” over the phone hacking scandal.

Claims that the 13-year-old girl’s phone was targeted by investigators working for News of the World, while she was missing, sparked a huge wave of public outcry culminating in the paper being shut down yesterday.

Her family, who are suing the tabloid, are to attend three separate meetings with party leaders starting today when Milly’s mother Sally and sister Gemma will be among a group of phone hacking victims holding talks with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A meeting will be held later in the week with Prime Minister David Cameron. Downing Street was yesterday forced to withdraw an earlier announcement that the premier would be involved in today’s event as well.

The Media Standards Trust, which has led a major campaign on the issue and organised the meetings, said it was also arranging a session with Ed Miliband and is thought to be keen to raise issues with the party leaders separately.

The Labour leader put pressure on the Government over the issue yesterday by threatening to force a Commons vote on suspending consideration of the proposed News Corporation takeover of BSkyB until the completion of criminal investigations into the hacking allegations at the News Corp-owned News of the World.

A consultation on News Corp’s bid to buy the remaining BSkyB shares it does not own ended on Friday – with the Government signalling that it could take several months before Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt made a decision.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a warning to the Prime Minister, Mr Miliband said: “He has got to understand that when the public have seen the disgusting revelations that we have seen this week, the idea that this organisation, which engaged in these terrible practices, should be allowed to take over BSkyB, to get that 100 per cent stake, without the criminal investigation having been completed and on the basis of assurances from that self-same organisation – frankly that just won’t wash with the public.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes has indicated that he would back a delay while Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has not ruled out supporting the Labour motion to be tabled on Wednesday.

However, Tory Transport Secretary Philip Hammond accused Mr Miliband of playing party politics with the issue.

He added: “I understand people would be very concerned (if the takeover went through while criminal investigations were ongoing) and I think many of us would be very concerned.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But we have to operate within the law. If the motion is calling on the Government to ignore its duties under the law, simply to ride roughshod over the law, then I’m afraid that would be calling on us to be in no better position than others are currently being accused of.”

News that Milly’s phone was among those allegedly targeted ratcheted up the scandal and was followed by claims that families of terror victims and war dead also had their phone messages hacked into.

Yesterday a senior Scotland Yard detective expressed his “extreme regret” that he did not act to reopen police inquiries into phone hacking two years ago.

Despite fresh allegations that thousands of public figures had been targeted, Assistant Commissioner John Yates ruled in July 2009 that there was no new evidence.