News Corp phone-hacking scandal
Live coverage as PM David Cameron makes an emergency statement to MPs on the latest developments in the phone hacking scandal.
- RT @MohammedReuters: Westminster is buzzing ahead of Murdoch appearance, with queue of journos and queue for the public outside palace. ...by lnoakes via twitter 7/19/2011 11:04:15 AM
- Welcome to Reuters' live coverage of today's select committee hearings. We get underway listening to Sir Paul Stephenson speaking before the Home Affairs Committee.
- Sir Paul Stephenson says the decision to resign was his own, and against the wishes of, rather than under pressure from, the Mayor or the Home Secretary.
- Stephenson says he was not taking a swipe at David Cameron with his resignation speech.
- He says he had no reason to have flagged up Neil Wallis's role with the Metropolitan Police earlier, because there was no reason to connect Neil Wallis with phone-hacking.
- Stephenson says he did not, and would not, inform political figures such as the Prime Minister or the Mayor about suspects in an investigation.
- Stephenson says even when reports were produced naming News of the World, and other newspapers, in relation to phone-hacking, that as it was not a major case at the time there is no reason such documents would have come to him.
- He says it was "damnably unlucky" that Wallis was connected to the Champneys health spa where he received free hospitality. Says that the owner of the spa is family friend connection, and that is how the "generous" free provisions arose.
- Stephenson: It is quite clear that the way the police meets with the media must change. It must be more transparent, and the police must explain what it is doing better. Need to address the "ethical underpinnings" of police meeting with the media.
- He says 17% of his media contacts were the News of the World, which he says represents 16% of readership, and that News Corp in total makes up 30% of his media contacts, against a 42% share of readership.
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Chair Keith Vaz suggests it may have seemed "a little odd" that former NOTW employees were working in both Downing Str ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 11:50:05 AM
- RT @arusbridger: Stephenson says he came to Guardian to pour cold water on our investigation in Dec 2009 on John Yates's adviceby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 11:52:48 AM
- RT @DRoseTimes: #Notw reporter Neville Thurlbeck was source for Met Police codenamed "George", Standard says. Gave info in return for co ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 11:53:24 AM
- Stephenson, asked about calling Neil Wallis's role minor when Wallis is reported to have been paid £1000 per day, says he believes Wallis to have been the cheapest person available.
- He says Neil Wallis was not consulted prior to, or after, meetings with the Guardian about its coverage of the phone-hacking story. He adds that he never spoke with Neil Wallis about phone-hacking, and has never witnessed anyone else doing so either.
- RT @jodieginsberg: Cameron/Jonathan press conference in Lagos underwayby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 11:57:42 AM
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Sir Paul Stephenson: "Of course I regret the contract (with Wallis) was taken on"by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:03:02 PM
- Stephenson says he has no reason to believe John Yates's judgement on pursuit of the phone-hacking case would have been affected by connection with a former News of the World employee (Wallis).
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Keith Vaz suggests that the timing of Wallis' appointment coinciding with Sir Paul asking Yates to re-investigate is s ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:04:34 PM
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Sir Paul Stephenson: repeats "I had no reason to doubt Mr Wallis"by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:05:14 PM
- RT @jennablan: Murdoch newspapers tighten computer security after hack tinyurl.comby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:06:52 PM
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Sir Paul Stephenson: accepts, in hindsight, that "repugnant" material uncovered in first investigation should have bee ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:08:20 PM
- RT @AlanFisher: Turns out when Yates reviewed initial hackgate inquiry - he took eight hours to do itby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:08:35 PM
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Home Affairs Committee is now moving on to examine the three Met investigations into phone hackingby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:09:31 PM
- Stephenson says he had no expectation of how long John Yates would spend looking at the phone-hacking investigation, when he asked him to review it in July 2009, after Committee Chairman Keith Vaz says that Yates looked at it for eight hours.
- He adds that he was not involved in the original investigation to know that the investigation had been drawn "narrowly", or that resourcing was an issue.
- Stephenson says he cannot remember whether John Yates briefed him on the result of the review before announcing it publicly, but that he would not have required him too.
- Stephenson says the nature of evidence available to the police (i.e. many thousands of documents), was not made clear to him.
- Some reporters and public allowed into palace outside room where Murdochs to be grilled. Phone hackee Jemima Khan is here.by MohammedReuters via twitter 7/19/2011 12:17:13 PM
- RT @fieldproducer: Stephenson: unsure if Yates gave him briefing before announcing no new evidence,says he only found out about bin bags ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:18:01 PM
- Stephenson says emergence of civil cases by individuals against News of the World would not have made the case a priority to him.
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Sir Paul Stephenson: even with civil actions being brought, it still wasn't a priority for meby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:18:52 PM
- RT @fieldproducer: Stephenson: says he doesn't have the identity of the unnamed No 10 official, says he thinks best to ask Yates... the ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:19:27 PM
- Police chief Stephenson denies criticising Cameron uk.reuters.com
- Stephenson says he does not think saying that a statement about the review of the phone-hacking case would be made "later today, perhaps" would put pressure on John Yates to spend limited time conducting the review.
- RT @jodieginsberg: Cameron's comments on wanting to focus on big issues signals start of push by his team to move the news agenda toward ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:23:48 PM
- Stephenson says he understands there are ten employees of the Department of Public Affairs (DPA) that are former employees of the News of the World in some capacity. He mentioned earlier that total DPA staff-count is 45.
- RT @fieldproducer: Stephenson: There are 10 members of the Met Department of Public affairs who have worked for #NewsInt in the past #Ha ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:26:09 PM
- Keith Vaz says he's puzzled at why Sir Paul Stephenson resigned, when he was not involved in the phone-hacking case, and not involved in Neil Wallis's hiring.
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Sir Paul Stephenson: has no new information about the death of Sean Hoare other than what is in the public domainby Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:27:29 PM
- RT @SkyNewsBreak: Sir Paul Stephenson: "These are huge, regrettable events... but the Met will recover. We need to make changes to how w ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:28:07 PM
- Stephenson says trust can be restored in the Metropolitan Police, and that making changes to the way the police deals with the media is essential.
- RT @RAGreeneCNN: Stephenson: Not leaving because I was pushed, b/c I have anything to fear; i am going because I'm a leader, that's abou ...by Anthony De Rosa via twitter 7/19/2011 12:29:26 PM
- He returns to where he started, saying he did not resign because he was pushed, but because he is a leader.
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