News of the World closed down: live
Live coverage of News of the World phone-hacking scandal after James Murdoch makes shock announcement that Sunday's issue will be last edition of the top-selling tabloid.
8:05PM BST 08 Jul 2011
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• Rebekah Brooks will not resign but no longer heads clean-up
• Brooks warns NOTW staff of worse criminal revelations to come
• Andy Coulson arrested over phone hacking and corruption
• Jailed former NOTW royal reporter Clive Goodman also arrested
• Police investigate alleged mass deletion of emails by NI exec
• Brooks warns NOTW staff of worse criminal revelations to come
• Andy Coulson arrested over phone hacking and corruption
• Jailed former NOTW royal reporter Clive Goodman also arrested
• Police investigate alleged mass deletion of emails by NI exec
Latest
23:15 That all from this live blog for this evening. We'll be back tomorrow morning to continue coverage of the News of the World story - until then, see our phone hacking page for all the latest news.
22.45 There's been another arrest tonight on allegations of corruption. Scotland Yard said a 63-year-old man was arrested in connection with allegations of corruption at an address in Surrey by officers investigating phone hacking. In a statement, Scotland Yard said:
The Metropolitan Police Service has this evening arrested a member of the public in connection with allegations of corruption.At 8.22pm officers from the MPS' Operation Weeting together with officers from Op Elveden arrested a man on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.
The man, aged 63, was arrested at a residential address in Surrey. A search is ongoing at this address.
21.50 The Guardian is also, unsurprisingly, splashing on the phone hacking scandal tomorrow. It focuses on the allegation that a News International executive delted millions of emails. Here's the front page.
20.42 @ExNOTWJourno has tweeted
Here's the situation.x-Notw journalists +friends going to release Blog on Sat night.Inside story of NOTW.Stories we weren't able to tell20.32 The phone hacking scandal is clearly one of the biggest stories of our time but will it be as big as Watergate which engulfed the presidency of Richard Nixon and led to his resignation? The Independent thinks it might be. Here's the paper's front page tomorrow.
Saturday's front page of The Independent newspaper
20.14 Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has spoken on the phone hacking scandal. Watch the video here: Tony Blair: 'I was vilified for criticising the media'
19.55 Scotland Yard have just released this statement after relasing Coulson and Goodman on bail. It reads:
Two men arrested by officers from Operation Weeting together with officers from Operation Elveden this morning have been bailed.A 43-year old man arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and corruption allegations has been bailed to return to a London police station in October.
A 53-year-old man arrested in connection with corruption allegations has been bailed to return to a London police station in October.
19.52 So, Andy Coulson has been bailed, but what about Clive Goodman? Well, we've just heard that a 53-year-old man, understood to be former News of the World royal editor Goodman, was also released on bail until October after being arrested on suspicion of corruption.
19.51 The former Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulsonleft Lewisham police station after being arrested on suspicion of bribing corrupt police officers. Mr Coulson said he had attended the station voluntarily. He added:
There is an awful lot I would like to say, but I can't at this time.19.50 Andy Coulson has been released on bail. He is due to return in October.
Andy Coulson is photographed leaving Lewisham police station
19.32 Listen here to that Secret recording of Rebekah Brooks's address to staff made at Wapping today.
19.22 We have more on Rebekah Brooks' speech to journalists at the News of the World earlier today, which was secretly recorded by one hack and passed to Sky News. The News International chief executive told reporters that she would try to find jobs for them elsewhere in the company. This exchange then took place:
One employee told her: "Can you see that by your actions yesterday, your calling our newspaper toxic, we have all been contaminated by that toxicity by the way we've been treated.
"But can't you see the bigger picture? You're making the whole of News International toxic, and there's an arrogance there that you think we'd want to work for you again."
Mrs Brooks replied that there was "no arrogance coming from this standpoint".
She added: "I don't see there's anyone of you in this room here looking at me now that we wouldn't want to work (with) because we know there's no toxicity attached to you guys in the room.
"I mean that's the sadness. It wouldn't be sad, we wouldn't all be feeling like this if you guys were up to the neck in it like previous colleagues."
She admitted that the company was in "a very bad moment" but declared it would continue to invest in journalism.
18.53 Subscribers to the News of the World website were today sent a message saying the online paywall will be taken down for the final edition of the newspaper, the Press Association reported. Users were each sent a message confirming that the website will be freely accessible to the public on Sunday. The site was put behind a paywall in October last year, meaning that only paying subscribers could view content. The message said:
It is with great regret that we write to inform you that after 168 years we will publish the final edition of the News of the World this Sunday.You will know that the paper has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.
However, in recent times the good things that the News of the World have done have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong and inexcusable.
As a result, the very difficult decision to close down the paper and notw.co.uk has been made.
Advertising space in this last edition of the paper will be donated to good causes and charities, and all revenues will go to organisations that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity.
As a result of this decision, notw.co.uk will be open to the public for free for our final edition on Sunday 10th July.
If you have already paid for access to the sites for this weekend and have outstanding credit on your account, we will contact you shortly and arrange a refund within the next 28 days.
18.52 More than £1bn was wiped off the value of British Sky Broadcasting on Friday as Ofcom signalled it would monitor News Corp's proposed bid very closely and Prime Minister David Cameron said there would be delays on any deal. Read The Telegraph's extensive report here.
18.45 James Delingpole has blogged for The Telegraph on his annoyance at the liberal-left's "self-righteousness" towards the phone-hacking scandal. The Right-wing commentator writes:
Perhaps the least edifying aspect of the News of the World saga has been the sanctimonious fervour of the liberal-left wallowing in a stew of its own self-righteousness18.27 Michael Crick, Newsnight's political editor, reports the Downing Street response to the questions at this morning's Cameron press conference about whether he or his staff received specific warnings about Andy Coulson prior to hiring him. Crick says Downing Street say Rusbridger discussed hacking "in general" at breakfast with Steve Hilton on November 12 2009 and Ian Katz called on February 25 2010 regarding revelations in the following day's Guardian.
18.21 Rebekah Brooks: "This is not exactly the best time in my life but I'm determined to get vindication for this paper and for all of you."
18.18 Hats off to whichever News of the World journalist has covertly recorded Rebekah Brooks' Q&A session with staff. One gets applause when he accuses her of arrogance for her offer of trying to find NOTW journalists new jobs in the company - because of her assumption that they would ever want to work for her again.
18.10 So to recap, the key points from Rebekah Brooks' address:
• She warns staff she has "visibility" of worse revelations relating to criminal activity to come, said of the decision to close the News of the World: "In a year you will understand why we made this decision".
• She will not resign, but James Murdoch has stripped her of her role leading News International's internal investigation into phone hacking. This passes to Joel Klein, newly appointed News Corp independent director, in New York.
• She promises staff a "quick" decision over the introduction of a seven-day Sun newspaper but says there will not be a new distinct Sunday title - they are "not going to print the News of the World under a different masthead".
• She warns staff she has "visibility" of worse revelations relating to criminal activity to come, said of the decision to close the News of the World: "In a year you will understand why we made this decision".
• She will not resign, but James Murdoch has stripped her of her role leading News International's internal investigation into phone hacking. This passes to Joel Klein, newly appointed News Corp independent director, in New York.
• She promises staff a "quick" decision over the introduction of a seven-day Sun newspaper but says there will not be a new distinct Sunday title - they are "not going to print the News of the World under a different masthead".
18.07 One of our sources in Wapping says the News of the World office will be sealed like a crime scene.
The office is going to be sealed after tomorrow night. No one will be allowed in without supervision. Journalists have to leave all hard copy behind. People saying they're being treated like criminals.18.02 News of the World sources say Brooks emphasised there will not be a new Sunday tabloid title - it's a seven-day Sun or nothing.
17.54 Rebekah Brooks told staff she was "not going to print the News of the World under a different masthead", sources say.
17.48 Rebekah Brooks promises "quick decision" on the possible introduction of a seven-day Sun newspaper, NOTW sources say. She told staff she had "visibility" about worse revelations relating to criminal activity and said: "In a year you will understand why we made this decision".
17.29 Rebekah Brooks tells News International staff that oversight of attempts to clean up the company has been passed on to Joel Klein, the former US Assistant Attorney General who has been appointed as an independent director of News Corporation. That information in full from The Times liveblog:
For the avoidance of any doubt, however, the News Corporation independent directors agree with James Murdoch’s recommendation that the Management and Standards Committee, comprised of Will Lewis, Simon Greenberg and Jeff Palker, report directly to Joel Klein in New York. Joel is leading and directing the Company’s overall handling of this matter. Many of you will know that Joel is a respected former Assistant Attorney General of the United States. Joel and Viet Dinh, an independent director, are giving oversight and keeping our parent Company’s Board advised as well.17.26 This from the Guardian's media editor Dan Sabbagh on changes to the News International clean-up operation:
Brooks no longer in charge of NI internal clean up committee on recommendation of J Murdoch and *News Corp ind directors*. Serious change.less than a minute ago via web 
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17.13 Breaking: statement from Rebekah Brooks to News International staff, excerpts as reported by David Rose at The Times on Twitter:
@DRoseTimes: The Company will focus over the coming months on finding as many jobs as possible for News of the World staff... As a company we welcome the Prime Minister’s calls for broad public inquiries into media standards and police practices... We are working hard to put our own house in order and do the right thing... Change and accountability will come through cooperating with criminal & civil inquiries & respecting due process during tough times ahead...In response to media coverage, I would like to address several additional points relating to the ongoing police inquiries and my role... News International is not leading an investigation into itself because that could interfere with the work of the Metropolitan Police... What we are doing is assisting the police, who are entirely independent, with their work... We are all clear about one thing: the police will follow the evidence no matter where it takes them. The strongest action will be taken whenever wrongdoing is proven.
People have asked if it is right for me, as CEO of News International and as the Editor of the NOTW until Jan 03, to oversee..our efforts to assess allegations, address serious issues & prevent them from happening again. I’m determined that News Int does this.
16.53 John McTernan blogs: Why did Number 10 let Andy Coulson through the front door? The former political secretary to Tony Blair says:
Before you start at No 10 you need to be security cleared or DV-ed (Developed Vetting which allows routine and unrestricted access to material marked “top secret”)...Which makes me wonder, what were they doing when they interviewed Andy Coulson? I was not a public figure when I joined the No 10 Policy Unit. My press cuttings were my own articles. Coulson, however, had a record – and an audit trail – that the sleepiest cop in the world would have come across. Did they really not ask about it?
16.48 The BBC's Robert Peston on how the Ofcom statement has affected the markets:
BSkyB shares have now fallen more than 8%. Market agrees that Ofcom has put a pretty big obstacle in way of News Corp takeover of BSkyBless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Robert Peston
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Favorite Retweet ReplyRobert PestonPeston
16.45 More from Rebekah Brooks' NOTW address, via Sky's Sophy Ridge:
@sophyridge: Rebekah says: you may be angry with me, I understand. But I'm angry at the people who did this and feel bitterly betrayed16.34 Sophy Ridge reports comments apparently made by Rebekah Brooks to News of the World staff. Brooks says she is staying on, pays tribute to "talented and untainted" staff.
Rebekah Brooks says the decision to close the NotW was taken because there was another two years plus ahead of troubleless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply
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16.22 STV report a statement from the Crown Office over Scottish phone hacking allegations. This follows a press conference from Tommy Sheridan's lawyer last night, relating to his perjury conviction involving the News of the World. Crown Office statement:
In light of further emerging developments regarding the News of the World the Crown has asked Strathclyde Police to consider and assess specific claims of phone hacking and breaches of data protection in Scotland.Strathclyde Police will review available information and will liaise with the Metropolitan Police in relation to any Scottish dimension to their current investigations and will thereafter report their findings to the Area Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow.
16.19 Breaking: Strathclyde Police are to investigate phone hacking claims in Scotland following the News of the World scandal.
16.16 Breaking: Rebekah Brooks told staff that advertisers had told News International the News of the World brand was now 'toxic', Sky News reports
16.15 Renault has become the first advertiser to extend its boycott to all News International titles i.e. The Times, the Sunday Times and the Sun. In a statement the company said: "As a result of the seriousness of the continued allegations of phone hacking by News of the World, Renault is reviewing its media advertising plans, pending the formal investigations. We currently have no advertising planned in any News International press titles in the immediate future."
16.12 Breaking: Rebekah Brooks apologises for 'operational issues' and tells staff that News International is trying to find them jobs elsewhere in the company
16.07 The Daily Star Sunday has issued a statement on today's police search of its office, insisting it related to Clive Goodman, the former NOTW royal reporter, and there was no suggestion he had behaved improperly during his freelance work for the Daily Star Sunday. Detectives were invited to attend its offices in central London and spent two hours there, taking away a disc containing a record of all Mr Goodman's computer activity, it said.
Scotland Yard today sought the help of the Daily Star Sunday as they investigated allegations of police corruption involving the News of the World and its former royal editor Clive Goodman.They confirmed they were similarly carrying out these routine checks at all places where Mr Goodman has worked as a freelance since he left the News of the World.
Officers formally requested any and all computer material that Goodman had been involved with during his occasional shifts as a freelance reporter at the paper over the last year to cross-check it with his activities in his News of the World role. They were particularly interested to check Mr Goodman's current email contacts to cross-match them with those from his time at the News of the World.
There was no suggestion whatsoever that Mr Goodman had acted improperly during his occasional shifts at the Daily Star Sunday, and we can confirm that no payments of any kind were ever made by the newspaper to Clive Goodman contacts.
16.05 Rebekah Brooks is due to be addressing staff at the News of the World right now. We'll update as soon as anything filters out.
15.55 Brian Paddick, the former deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan police has told the Guardian: "If Andy Coulson has been arrested, it is inevitable that Rebekah Brooks will get an invitation from the police that she can not refuse."
15.50 Someone claiming to be a former News of the World journalist has been tweeting rumours about Rebekah Brooks' briefing. We cannot substantiate whether they are indeed a former NOTW employee. But here's their latest tweet:
Vibe I'm getting is she'll resign. More as I get it.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
ExNOTWJournalist
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Favorite Retweet ReplyExNOTWJournalistExNOTWJourno
15.29 Daily Star execs to address staff this afternoon on police hacking inquiry following police raid of the newspaper's office, Krishnan Guru-Murthy reports.
15.27 Ofcom has announced that it write to the police asking for "timescales of their investigations" - an indication that the regulator may be considering a probe into News Corporation but is unwilling to prejudice the ongoing police investigation
Their statement is in the form of a letter to John Whittingdale MP, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
15.20 Clive Goodman's desk has been searched by police at the Daily Star Sunday offices, Sky reports.
15.11 News of the World staff have been told to attend 13th floor for the briefing. Security staff on the newsroom floor. Journalists found themselves locked out of their company email accounts, leading to an exodus to the pub, Sky News reports.
15.08 The Guardian's Dan Sabbagh says Rebekah Brooks is not expected to resign in her 4pm address to staff:
Brooks statement at 4pm is an update. "No, she's not going".less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDan Sabbagh
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14.22 Our business reporter Josie Ensor gives an update on BSKyB and News Corp shares:
Shares in BSkyB have recovered slightly in the past two hours, after falling significantly this morning during Cameron's press conference and as DCMS announced a decision on BSkyB would not be imminent.The shares are back at 782.5p, from a 11am low of 764.5p - the lowest they've been since February, while News Corp shares were down 3 per cent to $16.90 after five minutes trade in New York.
14.54 More on these newest allegations, from the Guardian's Nick Davies and Amelia Hill:
Police are investigating evidence that a News International executive may have deleted millions of emails from an internal archive, in an apparent attempt to obstruct Scotland Yard's inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal.The archive is believed to have reached back to January 2005 revealing daily contact between News of the World editors, reporters and outsiders, including private investigators. The messages are potentially highly valuable both for the police and for the numerous public figures who are suing News International.
According to legal sources close to the police inquiry, a senior executive is believed to have deleted 'massive quantities' of the archive on two separate occasions, leaving only a small fraction to be disclosed. One of the alleged deletions is said to have been made at the end of January this year, just as Scotland Yard was launching Operation Weeting, its new inquiry into the affair.
The allegation directly contradicts repeated claims from News International that it is co-operating fully with police in order to expose its history of illegal news-gathering. It is likely to be seen as evidence that the company could not pass a 'fit and proper person' test for its proposed purchase of BSkyB.
14.41 John Prescott reacts to the Guardian's allegations about mass email deletion at the News of the World:
If a News International executive did delete millions of emails in January THIS YEAR there's no way Murdoch can takeover BSkyB now#NOTWless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply
John Prescott
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14.39 Met Police confirm that Daily Star offices are being searched.
14.35 Raf Sanchez has written a profile charting Coulson's career from Wapping to Downing Street:
Andy Coulson was once seen as David Cameron's link to the ordinary people of Britain. Today the former News of the World editor is the face of a phone hacking scandal that has made him an ongoing political liability for the Prime Minister.14.31 Numerous charities have apparently rejected the News of the World's offer of free advertisements in this Sunday's final edition of the newspaper, Celina Ribeiro at Civil Society blogs:
I discovered that RNLI, RSPCA, The Brooke, Care International, Thames Reach, Action Aid, WaterAid, Salvation Army, VSO, RSPCA, Oxfam and Barnardo’s have all rejected the offer... I personally have yet to find a single charity that is planning to take up the offer.14.28 Breaking: The Guardian reports police are investigating allegations that a News International executive may have deleted millions of emails from an internal archive, apparently in an attempt to obstruct the police's inquiry into the phone hacking scandal.
14.25 Rebekah Brooks to meet staff at the News of the World at 4pm today, Sky News reporting.
News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks leaves the offices of The News of The World in Wapping, London. GETTY14.19 Breaking: Unconfirmed reports that the Daily Star offices have been raided by police. Clive Goodman, who was arrested this morning, currently works for the Daily Star Sunday.
14.10 Sky News' Sophy Ridge, until recently herself a News of the World reporter, says that News of the World staff are expecting to receive letters detailing a redundancy settlement later today - suggesting that any ntroduction of a 'Sun on Sunday', as has been rumoured, wouldn't necessarily help the News of the World's 200 staff.
14.05 Tom Baldwin, Ed Miliband's press chief is now trending on Twitter after Adam Boulton quizzed the Labour leader about what checks he took before appointing him. One question in particular attracting attention:
Adam Boulton on @skynewboulton : "Did you ask Tom Baldwin if he took cocaine and do you mind?"less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
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14.00
13.52 More information on Andy Coulson's current whereabouts, via the Guardian's Shiv Malik:
Confirmed from various sources, Andy #Coulsonis being held at Lewisham Police station, Europe's largest with 96 custody cells #notw#NoWless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Reply
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13.41 The BBC's Robert Peston reports that Ofcom will rule on News Corp's 'fitness' to own BSkyB:
It is likely to make a statement later today, I am told, which will make it clear that it regards evidence that the News of the World's newsroom was out of control for many years as relevant to a judgement on whether News Corporation would be a fit-and-proper owner of British Sky Broadcasting.13.22 Clive Goodman wasn't given the luxury of a mid-morning arrest by appointment like Coulson. A police spokesperson says that the 53-year-old former royal editor, who currently works for the Daily Star Sunday, was held after a dawn swoop by officers at his home in Surrey. "At 6.11am officers from the MPS' Operation Weeting together with officers from Operation Elveden arrested a man on suspicion of corruption allegations in contravention of Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906. The man, aged 53, was arrested at a residential address in Surrey. A search is ongoing at this address." Goodman is not being held at the same police station as Coulson.
13.20 Police arriving to search Couson's home earlier today:
Police officers arrive at the home of Andy Coulson to search his house following his arrest on phone hacking and corruption allegations. NATIONAL13.12 The Guardian are reporting their sources suggest that Coulson is being held at Lewisham police station. A Twitter user reckons they saw him en route there a couple of hours ago.
#NOTW just seen Coulson walking towards Lewisham police stationless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply
Rosetta
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13.04 Two arrests so far today. Sources last night suggested five journalists and executives could be arrested.
Andy Coulson and former jailed News of the World royal reporter, Clive Goodman. PA/GETTY12.58 Tony Blair has weighed in for the first time, saying the phone-hacking scandal is "beyond disgusting" and urging a widespread debate on the media.
"Anyone who has been a political leader in the last four decades knows really that there is this huge debate that should take place about the interaction between the media and politics and the media and public life." He also had warm words for Ed Miliband, saying he showed "real leadership" during the scandal.
The former PM couldn't resist the opportunity to remind listeners at the Progress campaign group that he described the media as "feral beasts" as far back as 2007. And he apparently found time for a joke, The Times'Michael Savage reports:
Blair - in light of what happened it was gooood I got my first mobile the day I left office #notwless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply
Michael Savage
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12.55 The Times' Sean O'Neill says that Clive Goodman's home is now being searched too.
@TimesCrime: Clive Goodman is being held in connection with allegations of illegal payments to police officers; his home in Surrey is being searched12.51 As our crime correspondent Mark Hughes points out, the Goodman arrest is over allegations of corruption - rather than phone hacking, which is what he was jailed for in 2007.
Clive Goodman was arrested early this morning. His arrest was in relation to illegal payments to police, NOT phone hacking.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
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12.46 The Hacked Off campaign, which is being coordinated by the well-respected Media Standards Trust, has cautiously welcomed the PM's announcements this morning. But in one of several criticisms, they say that there is no need for the judge-led inquiry to wait until the police investigation has been completed.
Dr Evan Harris, a former Lib Dem MP and a member of the campaign, said: "We see no legal requirement for this to wait until after police enquiries and that to do so could damage its ability to get to the truth."
12.43 BREAKING: Former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed in 2007 for phone hacking, has been arrested over allegations of corruption.
12.41 More on officers searching Coulson's house. Plain-clothed officers carrying evidence bags arrived at Coulson's detached home. One shouted "no comment" to reporters before informing them "nobody crosses this line" as he walked across the driveway. The officers entered the property on the leafy residential street after a woman wearing a dark suit answered the door.
12.37 Lining up to say 'I told you so' to Cameron, alongside Alastair Campbell (see 11.27), is John Prescott, who directs us to a letter he wrote two years ago:
This is the letter I sent to Cameron two years ago tomorrow warning him about Coulson. Never had a reply http://t.co/s6hbpNYless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyJohn Prescott
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12.34 "Has Rebekah Brooks been sacked yet?" asks a dedicated new website. In a word, no.
12.30 Ed Miliband's response to Cameron's press conference thismorning and called on him to delay the decision on BSkyB:
We need the Prime Minister not to plough on regardless with the BSkyB decision which could allow Rupert Murdoch to take over even more of the media. What we saw from the Prime Minister this morning was someone trying to get to grips with the issue but I still don't think he understands the public anger out there.We need people at News International, like Rebekah Brooks who was was editor of News of the World at the time of the allegations, to start taking responsibility.
12.25 Yvette Cooper on BBC News just now has been calling for Cameron to admit that it was a mistake to bring Coulson into Downing Street:
My fear is that David Cameron is still talking about giving a second chance to somebody as if Andy Coulson is a 19-year-old who was late for work a few times.12.22 Our crime reporter, Mark Hughes, is hearing that plain clothes officers have entered Coulson's house:
Being told that a load of "suits" have just gone into Coulson's house. Suggestion is that it is plain clothes detectives.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMark Hughes
Hughes_Mark
Favorite Retweet ReplyMark HughesHughes_Mark
12.13 Our chief sports reporter, Paul Kelso, says that Coulson has been arrested under the same law that was used to arrest Pakistani cricketers as a result of one of the News of the World's biggest recent scoops:
Coulson arrested under Corruption Act (1906), same ancient legislation used to charge Pakistan cricketers. Do lawyers do irony?less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply
Paul Kelso
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Favorite Retweet ReplyPaul Kelsopkelso
12.00 Midday update: the political focus has shifted very much this morning away from the wrongdoings at the News of the World, to the judgement of David Cameron in appointing Andy Coulson, who has now been arrested in connection with both phone hacking and corruption. Coulson edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007 and was appointed as Cameron's communications director in May 2007. He resigned in January 2011.
Cameron faced repeated questioning on the subject at his press conference earlier and defended his decision. A sample of how the lobby journalists piled on the pressure:
Chris Ship, of ITV, asked Cameron to apologise for the appointment. Cameron did not apologise. The BBC's Nick Robinson challenged Cameron over his judgement, asking: "Why did you believe a man who had resigned over hacking at News of the World and why did you ignore those who warned you it was much more widespread?". The Times'Roland Watson challenged Cameron over what specific questions he asked of Coulson before hiring him.
Patrick Wintour of the Guardian then asked Cameron if he was saying he had had no warning and, when Cameron said he had not, asked him to verify whether his staff had been warned. This follows both Alan Rusbridger of the Guardian and Peter Oborne in the Telegraph saying that Cameron was warned specifically. Michael Crick of Newsnight then asked Cameron whether he had quizzed Coulson again in 2009 when the Guardian broke the story. Cameron was also asked about his recent contact with Coulson.
11.48 Sean O'Neill, The Times' crime editor, says the recent changes to bail conditions mean the Met Police must be very confident of their evidence on Coulson:
The Met has to be v confident in arresting Coulson - operating under changed "Hookway" bail conditions; 96 hours to charge or releaseless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Sean O'Neill
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11.30 James Murdoch was pictured arriving at News International's offices in Wapping this morning, with a copy of the Sun - open at the page showing David Cameron attending the Sun's Police Bravery Awards last night:
James Murdoch arrives at Wapping today AFP/GETTY11.27 Alastair Campbell has blogged, claiming he tried to offer Cameron advice about the press and told him that "he would find himself enormously strengthened as Prime Minister if he went in there without worrying about press support". He claims:
If he had listened to what I have been saying about the press for some time now, he would not be in this mess now, in which his judgement is being so loudly questioned.11.24 Scotland Yard do not name Coulson but confirm the arrest of a 43-year-old man, by appointment at a south London police station this morning, in connection with allegations of corruption and phone hacking. He was held at 10.30am by detectives investigating Operation Elveden - the inquiry into payments to police by the News of the World - and Operation Weeting, the long-running hacking investigation.
He was held on suspicion of "conspiring to intercept communications" and "corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906".
11.22 What did Andy Coulson read this morning? Here's a newspaper delivery man outside his home earlier today:
A newspaper delivery man delivers newspapers to the home of Andy Coulson AFP/GETTY11.13 Our crime correspondent, Mark Hughes, confirms that Coulson has been arrested over two separate matters: phone hacking, and illegal payments to police, which are being covered by two separate police operations, named Weeting and Elveden:
Coulson's arrest is by officers from Weeting and Elveden, meaning he will be questioned about phone hacking AND illegal payments to police.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMark Hughes
Hughes_Mark
Favorite Retweet ReplyMark HughesHughes_Mark
11.11 The full text of David Cameron's opening statement is now online.
11.09 Former Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson has been arrested on suspicion of corruption and phone hacking.
11.07 BSkyB shares now down almost 6pc, meaning the markets believe there is less than a 30pc chance of Murdoch pulling off this deal, says the Telegraph's City Editor Richard Fletcher:
With BSkyB shares now down 5pc - at 770p - market appears to think there is less than a 30pc chance of Murdoch pulling off this dealless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
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11.05 BREAKING: Andy Coulson has now been arrested, Sky News reports
10.49 The markets did not react well to Cameron's press conference, or to the announcement, at the same time, from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, that the go-ahead for the News Corp/BSkyB deal will take "some time". Shares in BSkyB fell sharply, from 805p at 9.30am down to 767p soon after Cameron finished speaking.
10.43 Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy points out that while Cameron faced intense grilling over Coulson, his early comments suggesting Rebekah Brooks should have gone helped him avoid more questioning about his links to her:
Have to say very skillful of Cameron to dump on Rebekah Brooks at the start - result is he hasn't been grilled about his contacts with herless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Krishnan Guru-Murthy
krishgm
Favorite Retweet ReplyKrishnan Guru-Murthykrishgm
10.36 A round-up of key points from the Cameron press conference:
• Cameron says Rebekah Brooks should go: "It has been reported that she offered her resignation over this and in this situation I would have taken it."
• Promises full judge-led inquiry into phone hacking and a second inquiry into press ethics.
• Faces intense scrutiny over appointment of Andy Coulson, insists he was not given specific warnings about appointing him but that he takes full responsibility for the appointment. Says Coulson is a "friend".
• Promises full judge-led inquiry into phone hacking and a second inquiry into press ethics.
• Faces intense scrutiny over appointment of Andy Coulson, insists he was not given specific warnings about appointing him but that he takes full responsibility for the appointment. Says Coulson is a "friend".
10.21 Cameron is challenged by a journalist about whether the Coulson appointment is his equivalent of Tony Blair's Iraq judgment moment. His response sounds rather Blairite to Paul Waugh:
Cameron sounds *very* much like Blair on his Iraq decision: "People will decide..."less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Paul Waugh
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Favorite Retweet ReplyPaul Waughpaulwaugh
10.19 Cameron says that Andy Coulson "became a friend and is a friend".
10.18 The three key pledges that Cameron made in his speech:
One: action will be taken to get to the bottom of these specific revelations and allegations about phone hacking, about police investigations and all the rest of it.Two: action will be taken to learn wider lessons for the future of the press in this country.
And three: that there will be clarity – real clarity – about how all this has come to pass, and the responsibilities we all have for the future
10.15 Cameron said Coulson was "doing a very good job" working for him but was finding it impossible because of all the rumours. Says at the time of Coulson's resignation he did not challenge him over whether there were more revelations to come.
10.09 Cameron challenged by the Guardian's Patrick Wintour over his denial that he was given any specific warnings about Coulson, following Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger's claims last night to have passed a specific warning to Cameron's aides. Cameron responds:
I wasn't given any specific actual information about Andy Coulson. The decision I took was that very bad things had happened at the News of the World, he had resigned, I had given him a second chance.10.08 The Prime Minister says he is "champing at the bit" to get the inquiries set up. "This is black cloud that is hovering over the press, parliament, police."
10.06 Cameron repeating his defence of his appointment of Coulson: "I asked for assurances, he gave me assurances."
09.59 This from political journalist Paul Waugh:
Cameron reveals he commissioned a company to do a "basic background check" on Coulson. Basic indeed.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyPaul Waugh
paulwaugh
Favorite Retweet ReplyPaul Waughpaulwaugh
09.58 Cameron looks very troubled as faces intense questioning over hiring Coulson. Insists he thought it was right to give Coulson a second chance and that Coulson did nothing wrong in the time that he worked for Cameron.
09.50 Cameron takes full responsibility for hiring Andy Coulson, says Rebekah Brooks should go:
I decided to give him a second chance. The second chance didn't work out. The decision to hire him was mine and mine alone and I take full responsibility for it.On the case of Rebekah Brooks... it has been reported that she offered her resignation over this and in this situation I would have taken it.
09.49 "We turned a blind eye to the need to sort this issue," says Cameron. Compares extent of scandal to MPs expenses. "You can downplay it and deny that the problem is deep, or you can accept seriousness of situation and deal with it"
09.47 Cameron says governments must follow proper legal procedures on BSkyB. Acknowledges he and other politicians have failed to "grip" this issue.
09.46 "The Press Complaints Commission has failed," Cameron says. Describes it as "ineffective and lacking in rigour" and may be institutionally conflicted. Inquiry will recommend what system looks like, but he assumes new regulatory body should be truly independent of the press and also of government.
09.45 Cameron says there will be a second inquiry, led by a panel of respected figures, to look at the culture, practices and ethics of the British press, how newspapers are regulated, and make recommendations for the future.
09.44 Cameron says a judge needs to be in charge of the inquiry into the phone hacking scandal. "The witnesses will be questioned by a judge, under oath, and no stone will be left unturned".
09.43 "It is clear that there have been some illegal and utterly unacceptable practices taking place at the News of the World and possibly elsewhere," says Cameron. Calls earlier police investigation "inadequate". Separate, specific allegation of officers taking payments has "full independent oversight".
09.40 Here comes Cameron. "The whole country has been shocked by the revelations about the phone hacking scandal," he says. Describes hacking Milly Dowler's phone as "truly despicable".
09.37 Telegraph sources confirm Andy Coulson not yet in police custody, contrary to earlier reports, but he is expected there later today.
09.30 David Cameron due to face the press to tackle tough questions over Coulson and his handling of the phone hacking scandal any minute now. The BBC's Nick Robinson says this will be "one of the defining moments of the Cameron premiership".
09.23 Update from The Times newsdesk who first said Coulson was at a police station this morning. Now saying he is not yet there:
UPDATE: Coulson is not yet in custody. Due to be questioned at West End Central Police Station this morning. #notwless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Reply
David Rose
DRoseTimes
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09.22 Aamer Anwar, Tommy Sheridan's solicitor, tells the BBC he has handed a dossier to police. He adds that if Coulson is found to have known about phone hacking then the jury in Sheridan's perjury trial would have been "blind sided".
09.18 Shares in rival newspaper groups on the rise. Trinity Mirror saw shares climb 10 per cent after News International yesterday announced the end of the News of the World, while the Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) was up 3 per cent.
09.15 The popular News of the World politics editor, David Wooding,says that just three people of the 200 News of the World staff who have lost their jobs were even employed by the newspaper when hacking took place. He told BBC Breakfast:
We walked out with our heads held high last night because we have done nothing wrongThere are 200 people there, I think there are three who were there during the hacking time.
09.12 A round-up from Roy Greenslade over at the Guardian of what the papers say this morning.
09.10 Rumours abound that the News of the World could relaunch as the Sun on Sunday. Ed Miliband picked up on this earlier, when he said: "Closing the News of the World, possibly to reopen as the Sunday Sun, is not the answer. Instead those who were in charge must take responsibility for what happened. And politicians cannot be silent about it."
09.07 It emerged last night that Scotland Yard is considering the allegation that emails were also hacked. It was understood that officers had not yet been decided whether the matter would fall under Operation Weeting. Tom Watson MP told Channel 4 News that he believed that journalists had hacked computers, as well as phones.
09.00 At David Cameron's press conference at 09.30 he will face tough questions over the appointment of Andy Coulson, who is reportedly at a London police station now, and over the government's handling of the phone hacking scandal. Ed Miliband has called on him to apologise for his "appalling error of judgment" in appointing Coulson.
The Guardian's editor, Alan Rusbridger, disclosed on BBC Newsnight last night how he had warned Cameron to 'beware' over the appointment of Coulson.
We knew that there was this big murder trial coming which involved one of the investigators that Coulson had used, who had been in jail for seven years.It seemed reasonable to try and warn Cameron, before he took Coulson into 10 Downing Street, he should just ask some inquiries about this. I know I am not the only figure Fleet Street who got this warning through to Cameron to say 'beware'.
Nothing came back from Cameron. But I just wonder what sort of vetting had gone on because a lot of this stuff had been published in The Guardian in 2002.
Cameron was either very naive to accept Coulson's word or he didn't go through the proper vetting processes.
08.46 An update from the impact of the News of the World closure on News Corp share prices from Kamal Ahmed, the Sunday Telegraph business editor:
@kamalahmed1: BSkyB share price climbs a little this morning. Market thinks shutting News of the World makes News Corp/BSkyB deal more likely #notw08.43 Andy Coulson is at a London police station, being interviewed this morning, The Times' assistant news editor David Rose tweets:
Andy Coulson is now at West End Central Police Station, on Saville Row, to answer questions over#hacking & paying police. #notwless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyDavid Rose
DRoseTimes
Favorite Retweet ReplyDavid RoseDRoseTimes
08.40 Key quotes from Ed Miliband's speech:
For too long, political leaders have been too concerned about what people in the press would think and too fearful of speaking out about these issues. If one section of the media is allowed to grow so powerful that it becomes insulated from political criticism a nd scrutiny of its behaviour, the proper system of checks and balances breaks down and abuses of power are likely to follow. We must all bear responsibility for that. My party has not been immune from it. Nor has the current government and Prime Minister. All of this is difficult because of his personal relationships and the powerful forces here.Putting it right for the prime minister means starting by the appalling error of judgement he made in hiring Andy Coulson. Apologising for bringing him in to the centre of the government machine. Coming clean about what conversations he had with Andy Coulson before and after his appointment about phone-hacking.
08.37 Here's James Murdoch explaining the decision to close the News of the World last night:
08.14 BBC political editor Nick Robinson says on the Today programme that Ed Miliband has "found his voice" over the phone hacking scandal.
He found a cause and united a party that for a long time has been hugely frustrated at being seen to pay homage to the Murdoch empire.08.07 The Telegraph's Kate Day is tweeting from Ed Miliband's press conference.
@kate_day . @Ed_Miliband "We must deal with immediate issues but use crisis of trust as catalyst"08.05 James Kirkup, our Political Correspondent, writes this morning onhow Prince's knee led to fall of a giant:
Under Brooks and then Coulson, the News of the World was a paper at the peak of its powers, trampling over its competition with a string of classic tabloid exclusives: from David Beckham's alleged affair with his nanny to Prince Harry's drug-taking, it consistently landed the stories that shocked, titillated and scandalised.Yet for all the agenda-setting front pages, it was two tiny, innocuous stories tucked away on an inside page that began the chain of events that destroyed the newspaper.
In November 2005, Clive Goodman, the paper's royal editor, wrote a brief story revealing that Prince William had strained a tendon in his knee and sought medical advice.
08.00 Ed Miliband is just about to begin a speech where he will call for the Press Complaints Commission to be scrapped. Most of his comments have been released ahead of time so here's what he's expected to say:
The Press Complaints Commission has totally failed. It failed to get to the bottom of the allegations about what happened at News International in 2009.Its chair admits she was lied to but could do nothing about it. It was established to be a watchdog. But it has been exposed as a toothless poodle. It is time to put it out of its misery. The PCC has not worked. We need a new watchdog.
A new body would need far greater independence of its board members from those it regulates, proper investigative powers, and an ability to enforce corrections.
07.57 Robert Winnett, the Telegraph's Deputy Political Editor has our lead story on the closure of the News of the World.
Britain's biggest-selling newspaper was shut down last night by the Murdoch family in a surprise move designed to bring an end to the phone hacking scandal engulfing the News of the World.James Murdoch, the chairman of News International, which owns the newspaper, announced that the final edition would be published this weekend, citing the “inhuman” alleged behaviour of some staff as prompting the decision.
07.50 David Cameron is to hold a press conference on the News of the World phone hacking scandal at 09.30 this morning, Sky News reports.
07.40 Chris Bryant MP tells the BBC that News International executives "are not fit and proper people to be running a media organisation in this country".
07.37 Here's how America has been reacting to the news of the demise of the News of the World. The New York Times, which is locked in a readership battle with News Corp's Wall St Journal, ran the story on its front page:
The scandal exposes a web of relationships between the Murdochs’ empire on the one hand and the police and politicians on the other. And it poses new challenges for Mr. Murdoch, a media tycoon who has at times seemed to hold much of Britain’s political establishment in thrall, cultivating connections to both Labour and Conservative governments and using the prospect of his support — or its withdrawal — to help drive his political agenda.The Washington Post seems to be taking some satisfaction in Rupert Murdoch's distress:
Murdoch, 80, has weathered criticism and crises before, most notably the near-bankruptcy of News Corp, in 1990. But the phone-hacking scandal is easily the most dire public-relations debacle of the Australian-turned-American’s storied business career.07.28 Louise Mensch, the Conservative MP and novelist, formerly known as Louise Bagshawe, tweets:
This also reminds me of early days of the MPs expenses scandal. Suggest rest of press don't get too pious on News Int. Think more to comeless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
Louise Mensch
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07.24 Over at Telegraph blogs, Daniel Hannan argues that the News of the World has been closed by market forces.
In the end, the News of the World was brought down by consumer pressure: a combination of the withdrawal of advertising and the likelihood of a popular boycott. Where lawsuits, libel actions, PCC rulings, government regulations and commercial rivals had failed, Adam Smith’s invisible hand succeeded.07.19 Here's a brief history of the News of the World by our very own Conrad Quilty-Harper.
07.13 No comment from David Cameron yet, but the Sun - the News of the World's sister paper - has a picture of the Prime Minister attending their annual Police Bravery Awards at the Savoy last night.
07.01 Key developments in the past 24 hours:
• The News of the World is to close, with Sunday's edition the last in the newspaper's 168-year history, James Murdoch, chairman of News International, announced yesterday afternoon. James Murdoch said: “The good things the News of the World does have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong. Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company.”
• Andy Coulson, the News of the World's former editor and David Cameron's former Director of Communications, is expected to be arrested today. Coulson, who edited the paper from 2003 to 2007, is thought to have been contacted by Operation Weeting detectives and asked to present himself at a central London police station.
• The announcement followed the disclosure that Milly Dowler's phone was hacked and allegations that the relatives of British soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, victims of the July 7 terror attacks and other murder victims may have been hacked. The list of alleged victims continues to grow. Ministry of Defence sources said at least six families of dead soldiers had been contacted by the Metropolitan Police and Anthony Philipson, the father of the first soldier to die in Helmand, said he believed his son's email had been hacked. Detectives said there could be more than 4,000 victims.
• The News of the World's 200 staff will be laid off, in a move condemned by the National Union of Journalists.
• Rebekah Brooks, NI's chief executive, is keeping her job, despite reportedly having offered her resignation and widespread calls for her to go including from Ed Miliband, the Labour leader.
• Rupert Murdoch's News Corp's bid to take full control of British Sky Broadcasting is expected to be delayed until September. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to make the call in the wake of a deluge of submissions as a result of the phone hacking scandal.
• News Corp has lost 2.6 per cent of its value, around £250m, since the phone hacking scandal roared back to life this week. Shares in British Sky Broadcasting are down around 5 per cent, or £666m.
• And here's how the Telegraph and other newspapers reported the developments on this morning's front pages, courtesy of Nick Sutton:
07.00 Good morning and welcome back to our live coverage of the News of the World phone hacking scandal. We will to bring you all the breaking news on the story, as it happens.
