RUPERT MURDOCH will today face an intense grilling from MPs over the phone hacking scandal which has already claimed two of Britain's most senior police officers and rocked David Cameron's Government.

During a historic and highly anticipated session, the media mogul is expected to come under tough questioning over what he knew and when.

Members of the powerful Culture, Media and Sport Committee spent most of yesterday consulting lawyers over questions for the businessman, one of the most powerful figures in the British media.

Mr Murdoch, the News Corp chairman and chief executive, and his son James, the chairman of News International, which published the News of the World, did a U-turn and agreed to appear last week after they were issued with a summons by the Commons authorities. His former chief executive Rebekah Brooks is expected to appear separately later in the day.

In what is due to be a stormy session, MPs will want to press the 80-year-old on what, if anything, he knew about the phone hacking by his staff. In particular, it is likely he will be asked about murder victim Milly Dowler, whose phone was targeted by the newspaper’s journalists.

Mr Murdoch has reportedly been coached for his appearance by some of the world’s leading media trainers.

He has faced severe criticism of his handling of the crisis, especially after he gave an interview with The Wall Street Journal that he owns in which he said that London executives had made only “minor mistakes”.

Mr Murdoch will be under pressure to explain why his organisation previously told the committee that phone hacking was the work a lone individual, Clive Goodman, the former royal reporter who was jailed in 2007 along with private investigator Glenn Mulcaire.

The media mogul rarely makes public appearances, and has never been questioned publicly by a British committee in this way.

Mrs Brooks, 43, the editor of the News of the World when Milly’s phone was hacked, also insisted that she would appear.

Her appearance had been in jeopardy after she was arrested by police on Sunday and questioned until the early hours of yesterday morning when she was bailed.

But her spokesman said that she was not only willing to appear but also to answer the committee’s questions.

Stephen Parkinson, from Kingsley Napley solicitors, also said that she has not been shown any documents connecting her to any crime during her questioning. He said: “Despite arresting her yesterday and conducting an interview process lasting nine hours, they put no allegations to her, and showed her no documents connecting her with any crime.

“They will in due course have to give an account of their actions, and in particular their decision to arrest her, with the enormous reputational damage that this has involved. In the meantime, Mrs Brooks has an appointment with the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee tomorrow. She remains willing to attend and to answer questions.”

The Met declined to respond to the claims.

MPs on the Home Affairs Committee are also due to hear from the two top police officer who have resigned over the scandal, Sir Paul Stephenson, the ex-Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and John Yates, the former head of counter terrorism in Britain.

Mr Yates appeared in front of the committee on the issue only last week and was told in no uncertain terms by its chair Keith Vaz, that his evidence had been “unconvincing”.

There is expected to be a similarly stormy session today as MPs attempt to probe why both men stood down in such quick succession and allegations of political pressure in their resignations. The committee also announced last night that it would hear from extra witnesses in a hastily arranged afternoon session.

They include Lord Ken MacDonald, QC, the former Director of Public Prosecutions.

There was an outcry among MPs last week when it was announced that Lord MacDonald was advising News International on the case, despite his former role advising the police on the legal basis on which they could proceed with phone hacking prosecutions.

The committee will also hear from Keir Starmer, QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Mark Lewis, the solicitor representing the Dowler family.

Mr Lewis has been outspoken on his condemnation of the police in recent days. At the weekend he said that the timing of Mrs Brooks arrest “stank” and that Sir Paul “should have” known that his colleagues were investigating the News of the World earlier than he did.

The committee will also hear from Dick Fedorcio, director of public affairs at the Metropolitan Police, who at least one senior officer has claimed accompanied him on meetings with executives from News International.

Mr Vaz said the committee had called further witnesses to give evidence “to clarify any outstanding questions that have arisen from the inquiry.”

 

Whistleblower’s death ‘unexplained’

Martin Williams

THE first journalist to allege David Cameron’s former spin doctor knew of hacking spoke of his concerns that he was being targeted shortly before his death.

Showbiz reporter Sean Hoare, who worked on the News of the World and the Sun, was found at his modern first floor flat in Watford, Hertfordshire, at 10.40am yesterday following concerns about his whereabouts

Mr Hoare, 47, had made claims about the News of the World’s hacking culture in a New York Times article in September. He also claimed Andy Coulson, the Prime Minister’s communications director until January, encouraged it.

The death was being treated as “unexplained, but not thought to be suspicious”, Hertfordshire Police said.

As police in white forensic overalls were seen entering the property, one neighbour said the reporter was “paranoid” about people seeing him, and he was fearful of the police and the Government.

Mr Hoare moved into the flat in the town’s Langley Road in November 2009, but the neighbour said he had alcohol problems: “He said he was in trouble and he was worried about people coming to get him.” Describing Mr Hoare as a “fantasist”, the resident added: “A lot of the time we didn’t know what to believe.”

Asked if Mr Hoare had ever mentioned the recent voicemail hacking scandal, he said: “He did say something about phone hacking.

“He did mention he was paranoid and that there was a conspiracy. It’s really, really sad news. It’s a shame.”

Mr Hoare alleged that Mr Coulson actively encouraged his staff to intercept the phone calls of celebrities. He was sacked over drink and drug problems and the NoW said at the time his allegations should be treated with “extreme scepticism”.

Mr Hoare last week claimed NoW journalists were able to use police technology to pinpoint people using their mobile phone signals in exchange for payments to police officers.