James Murdoch
25 April 2012. James Murdoch told Leveson Inquiry that he never saw an email revealing phone hacking and that he did not know of the “For Neville” email until 2010.
He became Chairman of News International in 2007 resigned from this post in February 2012. Last year James Murdoch told MPs he had no prior knowledge of the scale of wrongdoing on the newspapers he controlled.
He told Lord Justice Leveson that he was aware that a reporter had illegally intercepted voice mails, had gone to jail along with the private investigator involved.
The inquiry questioned Mr Murdoch in detail over the “For Neville” email. This email was sent by a junior News of the World reporter to private investigator Glenn Mulcaire in 2008. The email contained the illegally obtained transcripts of voice mails belonging to football union boss Gordon Taylor.
He said he now accepts that the “For Neville” email was “a thread” that raised the suspicion of wider phone hacking at the News of the World.
The News of the World reached an out-of-court settlement with Gordon Taylor, head of the Professional Footballers’ Association, in 2008.
Here is a YouTube video – James Murdoch defends actions before Judicial Panel
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The Leveson Inquiry is now looking to the relationship between the press and prominent politicians.
Labour has called for Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to resign after Leveson Inquiry evidence appeared to show his support for News Corp’s bid for BSkyB. News Corp was bidding for the remaining 61% shares that it did not own in BSkyB. This attempt was dropped in July 2011, after the phone hacking scandal surfaced.
During the hearing of James Murdoch, the inquiry discussed News Corp emails that appeared to show Mr Hunt had privately expressed support for the bid for BSkyB.
But Mr Hunt said he had “conducted this process with scrupulous fairness” and will not resign.
Here is a YouTube video on Mr Hunt’s views – James Murdoch at Leveson: Jeremy Hunt refused to step down over BSkyB bid revelations.
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