News of the World

[Billy Castell 0]

Wings, the band the Beatles could've been.

 

There's a Wings song called Jet. Should'v been called Shit.

 

Shit! Woo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo

Shit! Woo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo

 

 

Your avatar and your post reminded me of this

[The Mighty Hog 508]

I LOVED Mull of Kintyre when I was a kid.

 

 

Did you have it on vinyl and in as good condition as this? (starts about a minute in)

[Sonatine 11304]

Phone hacking: News of the World reporter's letter reveals cover-up

 

Disgraced royal correspondent Clive Goodman's letter says phone hacking was 'widely discussed' at NoW meetings

 

 

Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and their former editor Andy Coulson all face embarrassing new allegations of dishonesty and cover-up after the publication of an explosive letter written by the News of the World's disgraced royal correspondent, Clive Goodman.

 

In the letter, which was written four years ago but published only on Tuesday, Goodman claims that phone hacking was "widely discussed" at editorial meetings at the paper until Coulson himself banned further references to it; that Coulson offered to let him keep his job if he agreed not to implicate the paper in hacking when he came to court; and that his own hacking was carried out with "the full knowledge and support" of other senior journalists, whom he named.

 

The claims are acutely troubling for the prime minister, David Cameron, who hired Coulson as his media adviser on the basis that he knew nothing about phone hacking. And they confront Rupert and James Murdoch with the humiliating prospect of being recalled to parliament to justify the evidence which they gave last month on the aftermath of Goodman's allegations. In a separate letter, one of the Murdochs' own law firms claim that parts of that evidence were variously "hard to credit", "self-serving" and "inaccurate and misleading".

 

Goodman's claims also raise serious questions about Rupert Murdoch's close friend and adviser, Les Hinton, who was sent a copy of the letter but failed to pass it to police and who then led a cast of senior Murdoch personnel in telling parliament that they believed Coulson knew nothing about the interception of the voicemail of public figures and that Goodman was the only journalist involved.

 

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 Labour MP Tom Watson, said Goodman's letter was "absolutely devastating". He said: "Clive Goodman's letter is the most significant piece of evidence that has been revealed so far. It completely removes News International's defence. This is one of the largest cover-ups I have seen in my lifetime."

 

Goodman's letter is dated 2 March 2007, soon after he was released from a four-month prison sentence. It is addressed to News International's director of human resources, Daniel Cloke, and registers his appeal against the decision of Hinton, the company's then chairman, to sack him for gross misconduct after he admitted intercepting the voicemail of three members of the royal household. Goodman lists five grounds for his appeal.

 

He argues that the decision is perverse because he acted "with the full knowledge and support" of named senior journalists and that payments for the private investigator who assisted him, Glenn Mulcaire, were arranged by another senior journalist. The names of the journalists have been redacted from the published letter at the request of Scotland Yard, who are investigating the affair.

 

Goodman then claims that other members of staff at the News of the World were also hacking phones. Crucially, he adds: "This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the editor." He reveals that the paper continued to consult him on stories even though they knew he was going to plead guilty to phone hacking and that the paper's then lawyer, Tom Crone, knew all the details of the case against him.

 

In a particularly embarrassing allegation, he adds: "Tom Crone and the editor promised on many occasions that I could come back to a job at the newspaper if I did not implicate the paper or any of its staff in my mitigation plea. I did not, and I expect the paper to honour its promise to me." In the event, Goodman lost his appeal. But the claim that the paper induced him to mislead the court is one that may cause further problems for News International.

 

Two versions of his letter were provided to the committee. One which was supplied by Harbottle & Lewis has been redacted to remove the names of journalists, at the request of police. The other, which was supplied by News International, has been redacted to remove not only the names but also all references to hacking being discussed in Coulson's editorial meetings and to Coulson's offer to keep Goodman on staff if he agreed not to implicate the paper.

 

The company also faces a new claim that it misled parliament. In earlier evidence to the select committee, in answer to questions about whether it had bought Goodman's silence, it had said he was paid off with a period of notice plus compensation of no more than £60,000. The new paperwork, however, reveals that Goodman was paid a full year's salary, worth £90,502.08, plus a further £140,000 in compensation as well as £13,000 to cover his lawyer's bill. Watson said: "It's hush money. I think they tried to buy his silence." Murdoch's executives have always denied this.

 

When Goodman's letter reached News International four years ago, it set off a chain reaction which now threatens embarrassment for Rupert and James Murdoch personally. The company resisted Goodman's appeal, and he requested disclosure of emails sent to and from six named senior journalists on the paper. The company collected 2,500 emails and sent them to Harbottle & Lewis and asked the law firm to examine them.

 

Harbottle & Lewis then produced a letter, which has previously been published by the select committee in a non-redacted form: "I can confirm that we did not find anything in those emails which appeared to us to be reasonable evidence that Clive Goodman's illegal actions were known about and supported by both or either of Andy Coulson, the editor, and Neil Wallis, the deputy editor, and/or that Ian Edmondson, the news editor, and others were carrying out similar illegal procedures."

 

In their evidence to the select committee last month, the Murdochs presented this letter as evidence that the company had been given a clean bill of health. However, the Metropolitan police have since said that the emails contained evidence of "alleged payments by corrupt journalists to corrupt police officers". And the former director of public prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, who examined a small sample of the emails, said they contained evidence of indirect hacking, breaches of national security and serious crime.

 

In a lengthy reply, Harbottle & Lewis say it was never asked to investigate whether crimes generally had been committed at the News of the World but had been instructed only to say whether the emails contained evidence that Goodman had hacked phones with "the full knowledge and support" of the named senior journalists. The law firm reveals that the letter was the result of a detailed negotiation with News International's senior lawyer, Jon Chapman, and it refused to include a line which he suggested, that, having seen a copy of Goodman's letter of 2 March: "We did not find anything that we consider to be directly relevant to the grounds of appeal put forward by him."

 

In a lengthy criticism of the Murdochs' evidence to the select committee last month, Harbottle & Lewis says it finds it "hard to credit" James Murdoch's repeated claim that News International "rested on" its letter as part of their grounds for believing that Goodman was a "rogue reporter". It says News International's view of the law firm's role is "self-serving" and that Rupert Murdoch's claim that it was hired "to find out what the hell was going on" was "inaccurate and misleading", although it adds that he may have been confused or misinformed about its role.

 

Harbottle & Lewis writes: "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 … The firm was not being asked to provide some sort of 'good conduct certificate' which News International could show to parliament … Nor was it being given a general retainer, as Mr Rupert Murdoch asserted it was, 'to find out what the hell was going on'."

 

The law firm's challenge to the Murdochs' evidence follows an earlier claim made jointly by the paper's former editor and former lawyer that a different element of James Murdoch's evidence to the committee was "mistaken". He had told the committee that he had paid more than £1m to settle a legal action brought by Gordon Taylor of the Professional Footballers Association without knowing that Taylor's lawyers had obtained an email from a junior reporter to the paper's chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, containing 35 transcripts of voicemail messages. Crone and the former editor, Colin Myler, last month challenged this.

 

In letters published by the committee, the former News of the World lawyer repeats his position. He says this email was "the sole reason" for settling Taylor's case. He says he took it with him to a meeting with James Murdoch in June 2008 when he explained the need to settle: "I have no doubt that I informed Mr Murdoch of its existence, of what it was and where it came from."

 

Myler, in a separate letter also published on Tuesday, endorses Crone's account. Their evidence raises questions about James Murdoch's failure to tell the police or his shareholders about the evidence of crime contained in the email.

 

Watson said that both Murdochs should be recalled to the committee to explain their evidence. Hinton, who resigned last month, may join them. Four days after Goodman sent his letter, Hinton gave evidence to the select committee in which he made no reference to any of the allegations contained in the letter, but told MPs: "I believe absolutely that Andy [Coulson] did not have knowledge of what was going on". He added that he had carried out a full, rigorous internal inquiry and that he believed Goodman was the only person involved.

[ewerk 30221]

Tony Blair 'godfather to Rupert Murdoch's daughter'

 

Tony Blair is the godfather to one of Rupert Murdoch's young children, according to a forthcoming edition of fashion magazine Vogue.

 

The former UK prime minister was reportedly present last March when Mr Murdoch's two daughters by his third wife, Wendi Deng, were baptised.

 

The revelation comes in an interview with Ms Deng in Vogue.

 

Tony Blair's office declined to comment on the report, which sheds new light on Mr Blair's ties with the media mogul.

 

Mr Blair, who is said to have been "robed in white" during the ceremony, is reported to be the godfather to Grace, the second youngest of Mr Murdoch's six children.

 

The nine-year-old was baptised with her younger sister Chloe, on the banks of the river Jordan, at the spot Jesus is said to have undergone the same ceremony, according to Vogue.

 

Photographs of the event, which took place a few weeks before the UK general election, were featured in Hello magazine, but Mr Blair's involvement was not revealed at the time.

 

Australian actors Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman were named as godparents to the two children but there was no mention of the former Labour leader, whose presence at the ceremony has only now been revealed by Ms Deng in a rare interview.

 

In the Vogue article, Mr Blair is reportedly described as "one of Murdoch's closest friends".

 

When he was Labour leader Mr Blair angered many in the party, including former leader Neil Kinnock, who had been vilified by Mr Murdoch's Sun newspaper ahead of the 1992 general election, with his decision to woo Mr Murdoch.

 

The two struck up a friendship after he accepted an invitation to address a News Corporation conference on Hayman Island, Australia, in 1995, when Mr Blair was the leader of the opposition.

 

In his autobiography A Journey, Mr Blair describes how he came to like and admire the media mogul, despite his right wing, Eurosceptic views.

 

"He was hard no doubt. He was right wing. I did not share or like his attitudes on Europe, social policy or on issues like gay rights, but there were two points of connection: he was an outsider and he had balls," writes the former prime minister.

 

'Unfair'

Wendi Deng made headlines round the world in July when she dramatically jumped to the defence of her husband, who was attacked by a foam pie-wielding protester as he gave evidence on phone hacking to the Commons culture committee.

 

In the Vogue interview, which took place before the select committee hearing, Ms Deng said the phone hacking scandal, was giving her sleepless nights.

 

She says: "Of course, as Rupert's wife, I think it's unfair on him to be going through this. I worry about him being alone.

 

"He has no PR people advising him. He tells me not to come but I'm flying to London for the hearing. I want to be with him."

 

Mr Murdoch's son James, who gave evidence to the committee alongside his father, faces the prospect of being recalled by MPs, after a key part of his testimony was questioned by former News of the World editor Colin Myler and legal manager Tom Crone.

 

Mr Myler and Mr Crone are due to be grilled on Tuesday by the culture committee on their version of events.

[Happy Face 29]

Tony Blair 'godfather to Rupert Murdoch's daughter'

 

Tony Blair is the godfather to one of Rupert Murdoch's young children, according to a forthcoming edition of fashion magazine Vogue.

 

The former UK prime minister was reportedly present last March when Mr Murdoch's two daughters by his third wife, Wendi Deng, were baptised.

 

The revelation comes in an interview with Ms Deng in Vogue.

 

Tony Blair's office declined to comment on the report, which sheds new light on Mr Blair's ties with the media mogul.

 

Mr Blair, who is said to have been "robed in white" during the ceremony, is reported to be the godfather to Grace, the second youngest of Mr Murdoch's six children.

 

The nine-year-old was baptised with her younger sister Chloe, on the banks of the river Jordan, at the spot Jesus is said to have undergone the same ceremony, according to Vogue.

 

Photographs of the event, which took place a few weeks before the UK general election, were featured in Hello magazine, but Mr Blair's involvement was not revealed at the time.

 

Australian actors Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman were named as godparents to the two children but there was no mention of the former Labour leader, whose presence at the ceremony has only now been revealed by Ms Deng in a rare interview.

 

In the Vogue article, Mr Blair is reportedly described as "one of Murdoch's closest friends".

 

When he was Labour leader Mr Blair angered many in the party, including former leader Neil Kinnock, who had been vilified by Mr Murdoch's Sun newspaper ahead of the 1992 general election, with his decision to woo Mr Murdoch.

 

The two struck up a friendship after he accepted an invitation to address a News Corporation conference on Hayman Island, Australia, in 1995, when Mr Blair was the leader of the opposition.

 

In his autobiography A Journey, Mr Blair describes how he came to like and admire the media mogul, despite his right wing, Eurosceptic views.

 

"He was hard no doubt. He was right wing. I did not share or like his attitudes on Europe, social policy or on issues like gay rights, but there were two points of connection: he was an outsider and he had balls," writes the former prime minister.

 

'Unfair'

Wendi Deng made headlines round the world in July when she dramatically jumped to the defence of her husband, who was attacked by a foam pie-wielding protester as he gave evidence on phone hacking to the Commons culture committee.

 

In the Vogue interview, which took place before the select committee hearing, Ms Deng said the phone hacking scandal, was giving her sleepless nights.

 

She says: "Of course, as Rupert's wife, I think it's unfair on him to be going through this. I worry about him being alone.

 

"He has no PR people advising him. He tells me not to come but I'm flying to London for the hearing. I want to be with him."

 

Mr Murdoch's son James, who gave evidence to the committee alongside his father, faces the prospect of being recalled by MPs, after a key part of his testimony was questioned by former News of the World editor Colin Myler and legal manager Tom Crone.

 

Mr Myler and Mr Crone are due to be grilled on Tuesday by the culture committee on their version of events.

 

IIRC Rupert Murdoch said while answering questions from the MPs that he was also closer to Gordon Brown than Blair, that their wives were friends.

 

So even if they say they're friends, doesn't add up. Proper Mafia style.

[Billy Castell 0]

Must be some sort of conspiracy going on. And now over to our resident space lizard corrospondant Park Life.

 

The whole Labour/News International thing is so shifty, just like Rupert having kids when he's 80 odd.

[DEADMAN 0]

heh watch this i bet in a few months time when the dust settles rubert and his croaneys will buy out sky

[snakehips 0]

heh watch this i bet in a few months time when the dust settles rubert and his croaneys will buy out sky

 

Mike Ashley intends to buy Sky. He'll then change his name to Mike Ashskyly.

[DEADMAN 0]

hahahahaha

[Craig 6670]

Well there's a f*cking shock.......

 

Rupert Murdoch to launch Sun on Sunday newspaper 'soon'

 

Rupert Murdoch has told staff at the Sun he will launch new weekend tabloid, the Sun on Sunday, "very soon".

 

The News Corporation boss also declared his "unwavering support" for the Sun's journalists at News International's offices in Wapping, London.

 

Ten current and former senior staff at the paper have been arrested since November in connection with alleged corrupt payments to public officials.

 

Mr Murdoch lifted all staff suspensions pending police inquiries.

 

Labour MP Chris Bryant, a high-profile campaigner against and victim of phone hacking, said the decision to lift the suspensions was the "most cynical piece of hypocrisy".

 

"It is massively premature because one would have thought the Murdoch empire would want to wait until Leveson had completed his inquiry and the the police and prosecuting authorities had completed their investigations," he said.

 

"News International has tirelessly campaigned for people who have been charged to be suspended from public office and yet journalists who have been charged at News International are apparently not going to be suspended."

 

Mr Bryant was awarded £30,000 in damages after his phone was hacked by the now defunct News of the World (NoW). Lord Justice Leveson's ongoing inquiry is examining press standards and ethics.

 

In an email to staff, Mr Murdoch said: "We will build on the Sun's proud heritage by launching the Sun on Sunday very soon.

 

"Having a winning paper is the best answer to our critics."

 

He said he would stay in London for the next several weeks but, describing the recent arrests as a "great source of pain", warned: "Illegal activities simply cannot and will not be tolerated".

 

But Mr Murdoch praised the "superb work" of Sun journalists and said "the Sun is a part of me".

 

The company was doing everything it could to assist those who had been arrested, his email said.

 

"News Corporation will cover their legal expenses. Everyone is innocent unless proven otherwise," it said.

 

A middle-ranking News International journalist told the BBC the mood amongst colleagues was "chaos in a good and bad way. Mainly good actually. People really happy at fighting talk".

 

Last year News Corporation closed the NoW over impropriety.

 

Revelations that staff employed by the newspaper hacked the phones of public figures prompted the closure of the 168-year-old publication.

 

Mr Murdoch arrived on a private plane at Luton Airport from the US on Thursday evening and was taken to Wapping in a vehicle with blacked-out windows.

 

The meeting followed anger at the way in which the News Corporation's management and standards committee - set up to investigate allegations of wrongdoing - passed on information to the police.

 

The National Union of Journalists has said news organisations have a duty to protect their sources, and is considering a legal challenge to the company.

 

General secretary Michelle Stanistreet (NUJ) told the BBC Mr Murdoch could have stemmed the "huge anger and frustration" by calling off the committee and acknowledging its action had been a "huge mistake".

 

"It's done a huge disservice to press freedom because we have a situation now where confidential sources have been betrayed... it's been handled so badly," she said.

 

Media commentator Steve Hewlett told the BBC Mr Murdoch's relationship with the Sun was an emotional one, but that he was a businessman first.

 

He said the corporation had no option other than to be seen to "clean house", angering journalists by putting at risk traditional loyalties.

 

"They are creating wider concerns about handing information about journalists' contacts to police just because an internal committee thinks there may have been a payment that was illegitimate or unlawful to a public official."

 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17070555

[LoveTheBobby 1]

They were discussing it this morning on 5live .

His quote about The Sun 'being part of him' - much like his withered cock'n'balls .

[wykikitoon 19863]

They were discussing it this morning on 5live .

His quote about The Sun 'being part of him' - much like his withered cock'n'balls .

 

I heard that this morning too.

[PaddockLad 17067]

James Murdoch has stepped down as executive chairman of News International.

Edited February 29, 2012 by PaddockLad

[ewerk 30221]

I guess that email that he 'never read' has come back to bite him on the arse.

[DEADMAN 0]

yea so much for his empire crumbling eh he just starts up a new newspaper instead

[Happy Face 29]

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has been arrested as part of the police inquiry into allegations of phone hacking.

Five other people were detained, including Mrs Brooks' husband, the racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks.

 

Bang her up.

Edited March 13, 2012 by Happy Face

[PaddockLad 17067]

Mrs Brooks was arrested under Operation Weeting last July on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, before being released on police bail. She has also been arrested as part of the Operation Elveden investigation on suspicion of corruption.

 

fuckin hell this daft cows got a season ticket for her local nick.

[ChezGiven 0]

Brooks walks free, Coulson found guilty.

 

The ginger snake.

[NJS 4365]

I know it's always an outside view like the Redknapp case but how the hell they could think she didn't know what was going on - especially considering her attempted document removal which seems to have been ignored - is beyond me.

[Happy Face 29]

I know it's always an outside view like the Redknapp case but how the hell they could think she didn't know what was going on - especially considering her attempted document removal which seems to have been ignored - is beyond me.

 

It wasn't ignored. She was acquitted on those charges too.

[NJS 4365]

 

It wasn't ignored. She was acquitted on those charges too.

 

I know - I just meant that the document thing seemed pretty clearcut which meant her whole "day to day operations were beneath me" defence seemed a stretch.

 

Seems like they went from believing her on the hacking to ignoring the attempted cover-up as minor which I think is iffy.

[Sonatine 11304]