James Murdoch: I answered phone-hack questions ‘truthfully’
News Corp CEO James Murdoch has insisted to MPs that he was truthful when he answered questions in Parliament about the phone-hacking scandal.
In a letter to John Whittingdale, the chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, Mr Murdoch denies that his evidence to the committee on Tuesday was “misleading”.
He says: “Allegations have been made as to the veracity of my testimony”.
He insists that he “answered truthfully” when he was “questioned thoroughly” alongside his father, Rupert Murdoch.
It follows a one-line response yesterday saying that he “stands by his testimony”.
Mr Murdoch added that he is “preparing a written response to the questions that I undertook to follow up on when I appeared” on 19 July.
(See letter below)
The allegations about Mr Murdoch‘s evidence came from former editor of the News of the World, Colin Myler, and News International’s ex-legal chief Tom Crone.
They said that James Murdoch had been aware of the wider scope of alleged phone-hacking by NoW earlier than he had previously indicated, contradicting the version of events he gave during the committee hearing.
MP Tom Watson, who is a leading figure in the campaign to reveal the extent of phone hacking, said: “I think this is the most significant moment of two years of investigation.
“If [Colin Myler and Tom Crone’s] statement is accurate it shows James Murdoch had knowledge that others were involved in hacking as early as 2008.”
I think this is the most significant moment of two years of investigation. Tom Watson MP
The statement from Mr Myler and Mr Crone referred to the out-of-court settlement agreed with the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Gordon Taylor.
It said: “James Murdoch’s recollection of what he was told when agreeing to settle the Gordon Taylor litigation was mistaken.
“In fact we did inform him of the ‘for Neville’ e-mail which had been produced to us by Gordon Taylor’s lawyers.”
“Neville” is thought to refer to the NoW’s former chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, who was arrested in April on suspicion of illegally accessing e-mails. He was later released on bail.
Earlier, David Cameron responded to the latest developments in the ongoing scandal.
The PM said: “Clearly James Murdoch has got questions to answer in Parliament and I’m sure that he will do that.
“And clearly News International has got some big issues to deal with and a mess to clear up.”
Later Strathclyde Police announced that they had launched an investigation into allegations that witnesses had given perjured evidence in the trial of the former MSP Tommy Sheridan. Andy Coulson – the former News of the World Editor and former Communications Director for David Cameron – was among the witnesses who gave evidence at the trial.
