Did James Murdoch Mislead MPs?

Did James Murdoch Mislead MPs?






Sophy Ridge August 16, 2011 2:35 PM





The focus today is on the explosive 2007 letter from the former News of the World Royal Editor Clive Goodman.

He claims that phone hacking was "widely discussed" in editorial meetings at the paper.

But there's another crucial part of today's evidence that shouldn't be overlooked.

Much of the evidence revolves around what is known as the "For Neville" email. It's important because it appears to implicate someone at the paper other than Clive Goodman and the investigator Glenn Mulcaire. In other words, it potentially undermines News International's defence that hacking was the work of one "rogue reporter."

Read Tom Crone's letter to MPs here

The crucial question is, who knew about this email - and when?

James Murdoch told MPs on the Culture Media and Sport Committee that he was not shown the email by former News of the World editor Colin Myler and former News of the World lawyer Tom Crone.

He backs this up in written evidence published today: "I have no recollection of any mention of 'Thurlbeck' or a 'For Neville' email". Mr Murdoch continues: "Neither Mr Myler nor Mr Crone told me that wrongdoing extended beyond Mr Goodman or Mr Mulcaire."

Tom Crone has a very different recollection.

He's unequivocal in his written evidence: "I believe the meeting at which I informed Mr James Murdoch of the “for Neville” email was in June 2008," continuing, "I have no doubt that I informed Mr Murdoch of its existence, of what it was and where it came from."

They can't both be right.

I have no idea if James Murdoch did indeed mislead the committee.

But the potential consequences for this would be devastating - and potentially far more wide reaching than the Clive Goodman letter.



http://blogs.news.sky.com/boultonandco/Post:59c4effc-87b7-4b12-8ee4-8d6048d734b5

NOTW Bosses 'Widely Discussed' Hacking

7:29pm UK, Tuesday August 16, 2011

A letter by a former News Of The World journalist has claimed phone hacking was "widely discussed" at the Sunday tabloid.

The document suggests the issue frequently came up at the paper's editorial meetings until any further mention of the subject was banned.

The letter was written by ex-royal editor Clive Goodman who was jailed in January 2007 along with private investigator Glenn Mulcaire for hacking royal aides' phones.

Goodman penned the document in March of that year as he appealed against his dismissal from the News Of The World (NOTW).

The letter has now been published by MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS) which is investigating hacking claims against the now-defunct tabloid.

Names of other journalists were blacked out in the letter

In his letter, Goodman wrote: "This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the editor."

Goodman also stated in the document he had been assured he would be given his job back if he did not implicate anyone else at the NOTW when he appeared in court.

Andy Coulson, who was NOTW editor during the time of the events that led up to the conviction, has consistently maintained he had been unaware of phone hacking, claiming it was confined to one "rogue" reporter - Goodman.

Goodman's letter was included in documents submitted by solicitors Harbottle and Lewis which carried out a review of internal NOTW emails in relation to Goodman's wrongful dismissal claim.

In a letter to the committee, the firm criticised News International chairman James Murdoch and his News Corp chairman father, Rupert, for relying on their report to support their contention that phone hacking at the paper had been the work of one "rogue" reporter.

"There was absolutely no question of the firm being asked to provide News International with a clean bill of health which it could deploy years later in wholly different contexts for wholly different purposes," it said.

A spokeswoman for News International - News Corp's UK newspaper publishing arm - said that the company was co-operating fully with the Metropolitan Police investigation into phone-hacking.

"We recognise the seriousness of materials disclosed to the police and Parliament and are committed to working in a constructive and open way with all the relevant authorities," she said.

The committee has said James Murdoch was "likely" to be recalled to appear in front of them again.

He gave evidence to the CMS committee in July, and told MPs he was "not aware" of an email suggesting phone hacking was not limited to one reporter at the NOTW.

The CMS committee will be recalling former NOTW editor Colin Myler and former legal manager Tom Crone to give evidence on September 6.

In a statement issued in July, the pair said they had informed James Murdoch about the email and that he was "mistaken".

Daniel Cloke, who was human resources director at News International (NI), and Jon Chapman, who was director of legal affairs, have also been called to give evidence.

The MPs have also written to Mr Coulson and his predecessor as editor Rebekah Brooks, ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, and ex-NI chief executive Les Hinton to ask whether they wish to clarify earlier evidence given to the committee.

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16050911

A firm of solicitors beginning to squeal ! How sad. They've been caught out.

Phone hacking: James Murdoch admits 'hush money' payout

James Murdoch has admitted that News International paid “hush money” to a phone hacking victim, despite telling MPs that they didn't try to buy his silence.


By Holly Watt
9:09AM BST 17 Aug 2011

Mr Murdoch conceded that Gordon Taylor, chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association, was paid around £700,000 in 2008 in return for signing a confidentiality agreement.

However, the chairman of News International continued to deny he authorised the payment after being warned the case could expose further phone hacking at the News of The World if it became public.

The admission that money was paid to ensure Mr Taylor’s silence is likely to exacerbate claims that News International tried to cover up the scale of phone hacking at the News of the World. Mr Murdoch also admitted that News International paid a convicted criminal almost £250,000 after his employment was terminated.

Clive Goodman was given £90,503 in April 2007, three months after he was jailed for his part in tapping the phones of the Royal family. He was later given a further £153,000 and £13,000 for legal fees. Tom Watson, one of the members of the culture, media and sport select committee, said MPs were “genuinely shocked” by the scale of the payment to Goodman.

In July, when Mr Murdoch appeared alongside his father Rupert before MPs he strongly denied that News International had increased the size of the payment to Mr Taylor to maintain silence.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8705902/Phone-hacking-James-Murdoch-admits-hush-money-payout.html