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British pm's ex-aide defends himself at ethics inquest by ferujkll sdff
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British pm's ex-aide defends himself at ethics inquest |
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A former tabloid editor who became Prime Minister David Cameron'sspin doctor told Britain's media ethics inquiry Thursday thatRupert Murdoch was a hands-off owner who did not meddle in hisnewspapers' editorial decisions or political positions. Andy Coulson who edited the tabloid News of the World whenallegations first became public that it was involved in illegalphone-hacking was answering questions at a judge-led inquirythat has turned its attention to the sometimes too-cozyrelationship between Britain's press and politicians. Coulson's appearance has revived questions about Cameron's decisionto hire the former tabloid editor. British politicians of all parties for years have sought thesupport of newspapers especially Murdoch's bestselling tabloids,whose backing was credited with the power to swing elections.
Asthe hacking scandal has unfolded, unease has grown about whatfavours the newspapers may have received in return. Coulson said Murdoch had never told him what party the News of theWorld should support while he was the paper's editor between 2003and 2007. He said the media mogul was a "warm and supportive" boss,but was in only irregular contact 'Is there a risk that there is an inappropriate press influence?' Lord Justice Brian Leveson When he did call, "we discussed politics generally and he wouldgive me his view on whatever was in the news at the time" without Murdoch interfering with the paper's editorial line,Coulson said. Coulson said he did not discuss with Murdoch which party thenewspaper should support in the 2005 national election. "I followed my own path with it," said Coulson, opting to back TonyBlair's Labour Party, which won.
Coulson has insisted he did not know that News of the Worldemployees were hacking voicemail messages of celebrities,politicians and crime victims in a quest for scoops andcirculation. Time at 10 Downing St. He left the paper in 2007 after a reporter and a privateinvestigator were jailed for hacking, and became Cameron's powerfulmedia chief later the same year, helping return the Conservativesto power at the May 2010 national election. He quit 10 Downing St.in January 2011 as the hacking scandal intensified. The inquiry led by Lord Justice Brian Leveson has already examinednewspapers' relations with the public and the police.
British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks during a mediaconference at an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011. (Michel Euler/Associated Press) Leveson said he would investigate whether the media organizations'relationships with politicians had "got out of hand." "It is obvious that politicians will want to gain support and needsupport for the messages they want to convey," he said. "But isthere a risk that there is an inappropriate press influence?" Coulson's appearance at the inquiry will be uncomfortable for theConservative prime minister, whose relationships with seniorexecutives of Murdoch's News Corp.
have embroiled him in thehacking furor. Cameron has close ties to Coulson and to Rebekah Brooks, anotherex-News of the World editor and former chief of Murdoch's Britishnewspapers. She is due to testify to the inquiry on Friday. Both Coulson and Brooks have been arrested and questioned by policeabout tabloid wrongdoing, though neither has been charged.
Political implications Speculation is rife about what the pair will reveal about theirrelations with Cameron and his Conservative Party, whose popularityis already at a low amid national economic gloom. Rupert Murdoch, with his wife Wendi, is driven away after givingevidence to the Leveson Inquiry in central London. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters) The Murdoch-owned Times of London newspaper reported Wednesday thatBrooks has retained supportive text messages from the primeminister, a personal friend, neighbour and occasional ridingcompanion in the upmarket rural enclave of Chipping Norton. There is an irony in Cameron's discomfort. It was the primeminister who asked Leveson to lead an inquiry to sift through thefallout of the hacking scandal that has rocked Britain'sestablishment and rattled Murdoch's News Corp.
with revelations ofwidespread journalistic malpractice. The inquiry has heard from reporters, police and public figures inan effort to understand why nothing was done earlier to stop thephone hacking. Murdoch shut the 168-year-old News of the World in July afterevidence emerged that it had intercepted the phone messages of amissing schoolgirl, Milly Dowler, who was later found murdered. Murdoch has so far paid out millions to settle lawsuits from 60actors, athletes, politicians and other public figures whosevoicemails were hacked.
Dozens more lawsuits have been filed. I am Professional Audio, Video & Lighting writer, reports some information about instantaneous water heaters , qvc home shopping.
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