LONDON: In a dramatic development perhaps never witnessed in UK`s illustrious parliamentary history, an intruder barged into a Westminster committee room hearing Rupert Murdoch`s and his son James`s testimonies on Tuesday, and shoved a plate filled with shaving foam at the media baron, temporarily breaking up the session that was nearly two hours over schedule.
The hearing on the voicemail hacking by reporters of the now-shuttered News of the World for news scoops was suspended as Louise Mensch, a Conservative MP, began asking questions. A man — later identified as comedian Jonnie Marbles — moved towards Rupert Murdoch. James rose to fend off the intruder and the elder Murdoch`s Chinese wife Wendi Deng lunged to block him.
Soon after the committee reconvened, Murdochs` testimonies concluded with the father making unqualified apologies for voicemail intercepts saying, "I would like all the victims to know how deeply and completely sorry I am with the horrible invasion of their lives." He ended, "Saying sorry is not enough. Now, justice must be done. I wish I had seen these problems much earlier."
Later, the committee also grilled former News International CEO Rebekah Brooks who admitted "mistakes were made" and reiterated the apology that Murdoch Senior offered. Brooks was the editor of the 168-year-old News of the World when the hacking took place. She resigned last week and was arrested and released on bail.
Brooks said she did not know back in 2003, when dead teenager Milly Dowler`s voicemail was hacked, what she knows now. She said she first read about the hacking in the Guardian. "My instant reaction was one of shock and disgust," she said. When she heard the story, she sent the Dowler family an "unreserved apology".
Brooks also brought in India, saying the emails in the Tommy Sheridan perjury case had got lost. "Why haven`t the retrieved emails been given to Sheridan`s defence team?" asked an MP. "There was a problem with suppliers in India," Brooks said.
The committee of MPs grilled one of the world`s most powerful media moguls and his son on their role in the phone-hacking scandal that has embroiled some of Britain`s top politicians, including Prime Minister David Cameron, police and journalists. The elder Murdoch banged his hands on the table and said, "the day is the most humble of my life". He grew flustered when committee members peppered with him questions, often turning to son James for answers.
Asked why he had entered 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British prime minister, through the backdoor, Murdoch senior said he was asked to do so. Interestingly, he added that he was "thanked by Mr Cameron for the support" his paper had given him in last year`s election. Murdoch refused when asked if he would resign saying he is the "best person to clean this up".
"I do not accept ultimate responsibility. I hold people that I trusted to run it and the people they trusted responsible," said Murdoch. Asked if he was misled by senior employees, he replied, "Clearly." Murdoch also told the committee that he didn`t believe the FBI had uncovered any evidence of hacking September 11 (9/11) victims in a recently launched inquiry.
James said the scandal-shut newspaper`s activities "did not live up to the standards our company aspires to", adding that the company acted as swiftly as possible. But his father acknowledged that he did not investigate after the Rebekah Brooks told parliament years ago that the News of the World had paid police officers for information. Asked by MPs why there was no investigation, he said: "I didn`t know of it."
James conceded that News International had paid legal fees of phone hackers who acted on News of the world`s behalf and were convicted.
Earlier, evidence given to the home affairs select committee by Sir Paul Stephenson and John Yates, who resigned on Sunday and Monday as London`s police commissioner and assistant commissioner, inched the scandal closer to Prime Minister Cameron.
Appearing in full uniform, Stephenson, whose departure stunned political circles in Britain, while being described as "honourable", said "a senior official at Number 10 guided us that actually we should not compromise the prime minister" by informing him that a former deputy editor of News of the World, Neil Wallis, had been working as a public relations adviser by the Met Police.
Stephenson revealed that as many as 10 former members of News International, News Corp`s British arm, had worked at the Metropolitan Police force. He regretted the fact and was "embarrassed" that his force employed Wallis. He underlined that his resignation was an act of leadership. "It was my decision and my decision only."
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