More News of The World hacking allegations

[The Yosemite Bear]

Brooks has been arrested, may be possible warrents out for Murdock and his family.

[Crown]

Faux News doing the whole story a big Trollol;



Personally I think they could have brought someone else in to defend Murdoch that could have really 'connected' with the younger generation;



Leave Murdoch ALONE!

[Thanas]

Yeah.....Fox news is really the epitome of Big Brother.

[Flagg]

Oh, good old Faux News. You gotta love how they equate a corporation that gets hacked with a corporation that does hack.

[Dartzap]

The Head of the Met resigns

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has resigned following the phone hacking scandal.

Britain's most senior police officer has faced criticism for hiring former News of the World executive Neil Wallis - who was questioned by police investigating hacking - as an adviser.

Sir Paul said his links to the journalist could hamper investigations.

He said there were lessons to be learned from the affair, but he was leaving with his integrity intact.

He also said he had no knowledge of the extent of the phone hacking.

Home Secretary Theresa May said she was "sorry" he had resigned and thanked him for all the work he had done during his time in office.

She said: "Sir Paul has led the force through difficult times and although current circumstances show that there are still serious issues to be addressed, I believe that the force is operationally stronger today now than it was when he took over."

Earlier, she said she would address MPs on Monday about her "concerns" over the closeness of the relationship between News International and police.

'Great sadness'
Sir Paul said in a statement: "I have taken this decision as a consequence of the ongoing speculation and accusations relating to the Met's links with News International at a senior level and in particular in relation to Mr Neil Wallis."

He added: "Let me state clearly, I and the people who know me, know that my integrity is completely intact.

"I may wish we had done some things differently, but I will not lose sleep over my personal integrity."

It is expected that Sir Paul's deputy Tim Godwin will take charge of the Met with almost immediate effect, before a more formal appointment process takes place.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Sir Paul had enjoyed "a long and distinguished career in the police".

He added: "While I know that today must be a very sad occasion for him, I respect and understand his decision to leave the Met, and I wish him well for the future.

"What matters most of all now is that the Metropolitan Police and the Metropolitan Police Authority do everything possible to ensure the investigations into phone hacking and alleged police corruption proceed with all speed, with full public confidence and with all the necessary leadership and resources to bring them to an effective conclusion."

In other developments:

Ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks was arrested on Sunday by police investigating phone hacking and bribery at the News of the World. After being held for 12 hours, Mrs Brooks was released at midnight
Labour leader Ed Miliband calls for new media ownership rules to limit Rupert Murdoch's "dangerous" and "unhealthy" concentration of power
An advert placed by News International in national newspapers on Sunday describes how the company is "putting right what's gone wrong"
Several Sunday newspapers feature promotions in an attempt to woo former readers of the News of the World, which was the UK's best-selling newspaper
News International says it has set up an independent management and standards committee to see how the company can prevent similar instances happening again
John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons media select committee, says former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks will probably be spoken to separately from Rupert and James Murdoch on Tuesday when they appear before MPs, adding that the committee should not act as a "lynch mob"
Sir Paul has also faced questions over his stay with his wife at a luxury health spa which employed Mr Wallis.

The journalist was working as a public relations consultant for Champneys spa when Sir Paul recuperated from surgery there earlier this year.

The Met acknowledged Sir Paul had stayed there for free while he recovered from a fractured leg caused by an operation to remove a pre-cancerous tumour and said Sir Paul had been unaware that Mr Wallis had worked as Champneys' PR consultant.

It added that the free stay had been recorded in the senior officer's gifts and hospitality register, due to be published shortly, when he returned to his post.

Sir Paul said he had informed Buckingham Palace, Ms May and London Mayor Boris Johnson about his decision to resign.

Mr Johnson said he accepted the resignation with "great sadness and reluctance" and he had no reason to doubt his "complete integrity".

He said: "We have got to get on with bringing crime down, and although Paul has done a fantastic job over the last three years, he felt that with the distractions of all these committee hearings, this inquiry, the judge-led inquiry, one thing and another, he was endlessly going to be focused on phone hacking when he wanted to get on with other things.

"So he felt that it would be better to let a fresh pair of hands, fresh pair of eyes, get on with that job, fighting crime, getting London ready for the Olympics rather than being distracted. In the end I agreed to that."

The chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee - Keith Vaz - said he was "genuinely shocked" by the announcement.

"He was very keen that people realised that his integrity was intact, and I think what he basically said was, he was concerned about the leadership of the Met at this time," he said.

"It is a very brave decision, and I'm shocked by it, actually, because I don't think there's anything in the statement in particular that points to any wrongdoing or inappropriateness on the part of the commissioner."

Contract cancelled
Shadow Culture Secretary Ivan Lewis said Sir Paul had made the right decision and done the "honourable thing".

"He recognises that things have happened on his watch, which mean there will always be questions about his leadership," he said.

Sir Paul hired former News of the World deputy editor Mr Wallis as a PR consultant for the Met.

His media consultancy company - Chamy Media - was used by the force from October 2009 until September last year.

He was paid £24,000 to work as a two-day-a-month PR, until his contract was cancelled four months before the launch of the Operation Weeting investigation into phone hacking began in January this year.

As part of the contract, Mr Wallis advised the Commissioner's Office, and the Directorate of Public Affairs and Specialist Operations, working closely with Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who led an earlier Met inquiry into News of the World phone hacking.

Anyone seen Cameron recently? Our beloved PM appears to have fled the country.

[streetad]

He's in South Africa with a business delegation.

I think people are getting a bit carried away if they are seriously suggesting that this might bring down Cameron. If 'cosying up to people who can help him get elected' is going to disqualify a candidate from being Prime Minister, I'm not sure where we are going to find a replacement....

[Crown]

He's in South Africa with a business delegation.

I think people are getting a bit carried away if they are seriously suggesting that this might bring down Cameron. If 'cosying up to people who can help him get elected' is going to disqualify a candidate from being Prime Minister, I'm not sure where we are going to find a replacement....

I doubt he will fall because of this too, but that depends entirely on the public backlash. I mean the guy hired Murdoch minions because other Murdoch minions told him it would be a good thing to do *wink wink nudge nudge*.

There is a part of me, however, that wonders if both sides of the political spectrum are more than sick of Murdoch and have more than enough skeletons in their closet regarding their dealings with him, that they'll both be happy to throw him and all his underlings under the bus so the could both be free of him.

[Sharp-kun]

There is a part of me, however, that wonders if both sides of the political spectrum are more than sick of Murdoch and have more than enough skeletons in their closet regarding their dealings with him, that they'll both be happy to throw him and all his underlings under the bus so the could both be free of him.

That's my thought. The backlash against him as been pretty much universal from all parties, so he can't even do the "I'll support Party X instead of you next election if you turn against me" spiel. Before if a party didn't like him they couldn't do much without being torn to shreds. Safety in numbers.

[streetad]

There is a part of me, however, that wonders if both sides of the political spectrum are more than sick of Murdoch and have more than enough skeletons in their closet regarding their dealings with him, that they'll both be happy to throw him and all his underlings under the bus so the could both be free of him.

That's a fair point - all three political parties have been very quick to stick the knife in. We have now seen the likes of Gordon Brown emerging to savage the Murdoch press despite not a peep when he was in power and needed them on side. Murdoch is now finding that with his his ability to mobilise public opinion compromised, he has very few genuine friends at all - I believe politicians almost universally would rather be rid of him and the need to kowtow in order to gain his endorsement.

Cameron has been uncharacteristically slow to realise which side to pick over the last few weeks but I don't think fatally so. Labour have been too tainted by their past associations to apply a lot of pressure and there is no significant challenger who could topple him from within the Conservative party.

[Crown]

There's another side to this; Murdoch's 'King Making Powers' are a little exaggerated. I mean he and Thatcher were cozy cozy while she systematically waged war on the working class and he sold it as a liberation for the individuality of the middle class, however John Major stayed the fuck away from him.

Blair being an idiot ran towards him, but as Prescott points out Labour were gonna win that election regardless of Murdoch, so Murdoch wasn't gonna be so stupid as to stand on the wrong side of that election.

The curious case is Brown/Cameron. Did Murdoch get that election for the Torries? I mean, they didn't win it outright, despite The Sun officially coming out and campaigning for them, and as far as I know the Lib Dems aren't in bed with him.

It's not the first time a press Baron has come undone when he exposed his hand against a British Parliament. I think he had the correct perception as a King Maker (and it certainly couldn't hurt to have him on side), but when his minions actively started flaunting their faux power (Brooks warning ministers she wouldn't answer to them unless they wanted her to 'set her rottweilers' on them for example) sort of exposed the hot air and blunder.

The Murdoch press could certainly embarrass and maim a political figure, but I'm not 100% sure they could so easily sway public opinion to win them the vote.

[Luke Skywalker]

So let me get this straight:

Faux News blabbers about how the phone hacking scandal is irrelevant in the face of bigger and more important issues...and then right after they go on to report on Kasey Anthony?

[Dartzap]

'Knacker' of the Yard resigns

John Yates quits Met Police amid phone-hacking scandal
Met Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates has quit after growing pressure amid the phone-hacking scandal.

Mr Yates checked the credentials of Neil Wallis before the Met employed the former News of the World executive, arrested last week over hacking claims.

Mr Yates decided to resign after the Metropolitan Police Authority told him he was to be suspended. Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson quit on Sunday.

London mayor Boris Johnson said it had been right for both men to stand down.
'Distracting questions'

Mr Johnson told a news conference at City Hall in London: "I believe that both decisions are regrettable but I would say that in both cases the right call has been made.

"There is absolutely nothing that has been proven against the probity or the professionalism of either man.

"But in both cases we have to recognise that the nexus of questions about the relationship between the Met and the News of the World was likely to be distracting to both officers in the run-up to the Olympic Games."

Mr Johnson said Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin would be in charge at Scotland Yard until Sir Paul's replacement was appointed. Mr Yates will be replaced in the interim as the Met's head of counter-terrorism by Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick.

The resignation of Sir Paul, the most senior policeman in Britain, came after he faced criticism for the Met's recruitment of Mr Wallis as a PR consultant.

The day after that resignation, Mr Yates told Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) chairman Kit Malthouse that he was also standing down.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "Assistant Commissioner John Yates has this afternoon indicated his intention to resign to the chair of the MPA.

"This has been accepted. AC Yates will make a statement later this afternoon."
'Lengthy deliberations'

Mr Yates's resignation came after he was informed he would be suspended pending an inquiry into his relationship with Mr Wallis.

The officer had been confronted with new information about the friendship between the two men, sources told BBC political editor Nick Robinson.

After a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority's professional standards committee, the MPA said in a statement: "The committee considered allegations concerning Assistant Commissioner John Yates and after lengthy and careful deliberations decided to suspend the assistant commissioner.

"Suspension is not a disciplinary sanction and it is emphasised that suspension should not be taken as a presumption of guilt. Assistant Commissioner Yates has been informed of this decision.

"A number of matters have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, including one involving Assistant Commissioner Yates."

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I have been informed that Assistant Commissioner John Yates has tended his resignation.

"I want to put on record my gratitude to John Yates for the work he has done while I have been home secretary to develop and improve counter-terrorism policing in London and indeed across the UK."

Ms May announced in the Commons that HM Inspectorate of Constabulary would investigate corruption in the police, and Independent Police Complaints Commission investigations on the same issue would be part of the judge-led inquiry into the hacking scandal.

Crikey, whose next under the train? James Murdoch out as chairmen of BSkyB by the end of the week?

[Crown]

No way this could be a nefarious plot, but some seriously freaky timing;

NoW whistle-blower Sean Hoare found dead in Watford

A former News of the World journalist who made phone-hacking allegations against the paper has been found dead.

Sean Hoare had told the New York Times the practice was far more extensive than the paper acknowledged when police first investigated hacking claims.

Hertfordshire Police said the body of a man was found at a property in Langley Road, Watford, on Monday morning.

A police spokesman said the death was currently being treated as unexplained, but was not thought to be suspicious.

The spokesman said: "At 10.40am today [Monday] police were called to Langley Road, Watford, following the concerns for welfare of a man who lives at an address on the street.

"Upon police and ambulance arrival at a property, the body of a man was found. The man was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

"The death is currently being treated as unexplained, but not thought to be suspicious. Police investigations into this incident are ongoing."

Mr Hoare had told the BBC's Panorama that phone hacking was "endemic" at the News of the World (NoW).

He also said the then NoW editor Andy Coulson had asked him to hack phones - something Mr Coulson has denied.

In other developments in the phone-hacking story on Monday:

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates resigned after growing pressure
The Independent Police Complaints Commission received referrals from the Metropolitan Police Authority about the conduct of four current or former senior Met officers
Labour leader Ed Miliband again attacked Prime Minister David Cameron for hiring former News of the World editor Andy Coulson at Number 10
Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks confirmed she would appear before a committee of MPs on Tuesday, alongside Rupert and James Murdoch, despite her arrest and questioning by police on Sunday
News Corporation established an independent body headed by senior barrister Lord Grabiner QC to lead its internal inquiry into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal
Shares in News Corporation dropped by 7.6% to a two-year low in trading in Australia, and suffered a 4.3% fall in New York
The Serious Fraud Office said it would give "full consideration" to a request by Labour MP Tom Watson to investigate out-of-court settlements made to hacking victims
Press Association reporter Laura Elston's lawyer said she would would face no further action. She had been arrested last month by police investigating allegations of phone hacking by journalists

[Dartzap]

Gruniad

Police examine bag found in bin near Rebekah Brooks's home
Former NI chief executive's husband denies bag – containing computer, paperwork and phone – belonged to his wife

Detectives are examining a computer, paperwork and a phone found in a bin near the riverside London home of Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International.

The Guardian has learned that a bag containing the items was found in an underground car park in the Design Centre at the exclusive Chelsea Harbour development on Monday afternoon.

The car park, under a shopping centre, is yards from the gated apartment block where Brooks lives with her husband, a former racehorse trainer and close friend of the prime minister David Cameron.

It is understood the bag was handed into security at around 3pm and that shortly afterwards, Brooks's husband, Charlie, arrived and tried to reclaim it. He was unable to prove the bag was his and the security guard refused to release it.

Instead, it is understood that the security guard called the police. In less than half an hour, two marked police cars and an unmarked forensics car are said to have arrived at the scene.

Police are now examining CCTV footage taken in the car park to uncover who dropped the bag. Initial suspicions that there had been a break in at the Brooks' flat have been dismissed.

David Wilson, Charlie Brooks's official spokesman, told the Guardian that Charlie Brooks denies that the bag belonged to his wife. "Charlie has a bag which contains a laptop and papers which were private to him," said Wilson.

"They were nothing to do with Rebekah or the [phone-hacking] case."

Wilson said Charlie Brooks had left the bag with a friend who was returning it, but dropped it in the wrong part of the garage. When asked how the bag ended up in a bin he replied: "The suggestion is that a cleaner thought it was rubbish and put it in the bin." Wilson added: "Charlie was looking for it together with a couple of the building staff.

"Charlie was told it had gone to security, by which stage they [security] had already called the police to say they had found something.

"The police took it away. Charlie's lawyers got in touch with the police to say they could take a look at the computer but they'd see there was nothing relevant to them on it. He's expecting the stuff back forthwith."

Rebekah Brooks was arrested on Sunday under suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, and of corrupting police officers. She is due to appear before the Commons culture, media and sport select committee today on Tuesday afternoon.

I'm sorry, but is it possible that this case could be any more like a Hollywood political crime thriller or somesuch? Its gone so far beyond a farce it would make Shakespear green with envy.

[Crown]

Time to Trollol Rupert with a bit of Fry and Laurie as it were;

[Crown]

LulzSec have just hacked The Sun website; happy days! \o/

@LulzSec The Lulz Boat
WE HAVE JOY WE HAVE FUN, WE HAVE MESSED UP MURDOCH'S SUN (30mins ago)

[Crown]

I'll try and not turn this into a +1 spam post situation, but this is hilarious;

@AnonActionUK Anonymous
Our followership has almost doubled in the last half hour. Think every single new one is a Liverpool fan. Lulz.

lol, they're not wrong!

[Crown]

I'm trying to edit my posts, to stop with the spam making; but they're releasing NoW/Sun journalists mobile numbers and (I myself haven't found this yet) apparently passowords. Oh, oh the joy!

And some more from Anonymous;

@AnonActionUK Anonymous
I hope the families of the 96 unfortunate souls who lost their lives in '89 are enjoying this.
6 minutes ago via web

@AnonActionUK Anonymous
We're trending in Liverpool! Hurrah. #AntiSec #LulzSec #Anonymous
10 minutes ago via web

Anonymous
@AnonActionUK Anonymous
@Neiljirving24 Firstly, for teh lulz. Secondly, because they deserve it and thirdly, i didn't, LulzSec did, this their OP.
18 minutes ago via web


Aaaaand, the Beep have it on their breaking news ticket, other news outlets should have it soon as well (well not the Sun obviously haha).

[Dalton]

I've been hearing rumors that Murdoch may step down. Rumors, mind you, but interesting nonetheless.

[Flagg]

I've been hearing rumors that Murdoch may step down. Rumors, mind you, but interesting nonetheless.

Which one?

[Dalton]

Rupert. Big cheese.

100% rumor tho. CNN reported it with a question mark.

[weemadando]

Let no man say that News Ltd may not be working their hardest to ensure that coverage of this is completely unbiased and professional.

[Crown]

Rupert. Big cheese.

100% rumor tho. CNN reported it with a question mark.

It depends on whether or not James gets nicked surely?

Let no man say that News Ltd may not be working their hardest to ensure that coverage of this is completely unbiased and professional.
[img]<snip>[/img]

It's just piss taking at this point, they don't give a shit, any of them.

Speaking of piss taking, The Daily Show with a succinct run through of the whole scandal; Have no Fear, England's Here!.

[weemadando]

Rupert. Big cheese.

100% rumor tho. CNN reported it with a question mark.

It depends on whether or not James gets nicked surely?

There's been plenty in the air about the board giving Rupert the Julius Caesar treatment if he doesn't shuffle along and let them pretend to reform following his passing.

[Zaune]

No way this could be a nefarious plot, but some seriously freaky timing...

I'll reserve judgement on that until they've examined the contents of his email and voicemail inbox., myself. Hoare would have been an important witness; it's possible that an attempt to blackmail or intimidate him was made, and backfired spectacularly.