Nick Davies's Blog, page 17

News of the World surveillance of detective: what Rebekah Brooks knew

Brooks summoned to meeting with Scotland Yard to be told her journalists had spied on behalf of murder suspects

As editor of the News of the World Rebekah Brooks was confronted with evidence that her paper's resources had been used on behalf of two murder suspects to spy on the senior detective who was investigating their alleged crime.

Brooks was summoned to a meeting at Scotland Yard where she was told that one of her most senior journalists, Alex Marunchak, had apparently agreed to use photographers and vans leased to the paper to run surveillance on behalf of Jonathan Rees and Sid Fillery, two private investigators who were suspected of murdering their former partner, Daniel Morgan. The Yard saw this as a possible attempt to pervert the course of justice.

Brooks was also told of evidence that Marunchak had a corrupt relationship with Rees, who had been earning up to £150,000 a year selling confidential data to the News of the World. Police told her that a former employee of Rees had given them a statement alleging that some of these payments were diverted to Marunchak, who had been able to pay off his credit card and pay his child's private school fees.

A Guardian investigation suggests that surveillance of Detective Chief Superintendent David Cook involved the News of the World physically following him and his young children, "blagging" his personal details from police databases, attempting to access his voicemail and that of his wife, and possibly sending a "Trojan horse" email in an attempt to steal information from his computer.

The targeting of Cook began following his appearance on BBC Crimewatch on 26 June 2002, when he appealed for information to solve the murder of Morgan, who had been found dead in south London 15 years earlier. Rees and Fillery were among the suspects. The following day, Cook was warned by the Yard that they had picked up intelligence that Fillery had been in touch with Marunchak and that Marunchak agreed to "sort Cook out".

A few days later, Cook was contacted by Surrey police, where he had worked as a senior detective from 1996 to 2001, and was told that somebody claiming to work for the Inland Revenue had contacted their finance department, asking for Cook's home address so that they could send him a cheque with a tax refund. The finance department had been suspicious and refused to give out the information.

It is now known that at that time, the News of the World's investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, succeeded in obtaining Cook's home address, his internal payroll number at the Metropolitan police, his date of birth and figures for the amount that he and his wife were paying for their mortgage. All of this appears to have been blagged by Mulcaire from confidential databases, apparently including the Met's own records.

Mulcaire obtained the mobile phone number for Cook's wife and the password she used for her mobile phone account.

Paperwork in the possession of the Yard's Operation Weeting is believed to show that Mulcaire did this on the instructions of Greg Miskiw, the paper's assistant editor and a close friend of Marunchak.

About a week later, a van was seen parked outside Cook's home. The following day, two vans were seen there. Both of them attempted to follow Cook as he took his two-year-old son to nursery. Cook alerted Scotland Yard, who sent a uniformed officer to stop one of the vans on the grounds that its rear brake light was broken. The driver proved to be a photojournalist working for the News of the World. Both vans were leased to the paper. During the same week, there were signs of an attempt to open letters which had been left in Cook's external postbox.

Scotland Yard chose not to mount a formal inquiry. Instead a senior press officer contacted Brooks to ask for an explanation. She is understood to have told them they were investigating a report that Cook was having an affair with another officer, Jacqui Hames, the presenter of BBC Crimewatch. Yard sources say they rejected this explanation, because Cook had been married to Hames for some years; the couple had two children, then aged two and five; and they had previously appeared together as a married couple in published stories."The story was complete rubbish," according to one source.

For four months, the Yard took no action, raising questions about whether they were willing to pursue what appeared to be an attempt to interfere with a murder inquiry. However, in November 2002, at a press social event at Scotland Yard, Brooks was asked to come into a side room for a meeting. She was confronted by Cook, his boss, Commander Andre Baker, and Dick Fedorcio, the head of media relations. According to a Yard source, Cook described the surveillance on his home and the apparent involvement of Marunchak, and evidence of Marunchak's suspect financial relationship with Rees. Brooks is said to have defended Marunchak on the grounds that he did his job well.

Scotland Yard took no further action, apparently reflecting the desire of Fedorcio, who has had a close working relationship with Brooks, to avoid unnecessary friction with the News of the World. In March Marunchak was named by BBC Panorama as the News of the World executive who hired a specialist to plant a Trojan on the computer of a former British intelligence officer, Ian Hurst.

Rees and Fillery were eventually arrested and charged in relation to the murder of Morgan. Charges against both men were later dropped, although Rees was convicted of plotting to plant cocaine on a woman so that her ex-husband would get custody of their children, and Fillery was convicted of possessing indecent images of children.

Cook and his wife are believed to be preparing a legal action against the News of the World, Marunchak, Miskiw and Mulcaire. Operation Weeting is also understood to be investigating.

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Phone hacking: families of 7/7 victims 'were targets'

Crisis deepens at News of the World as police begin to review all high-profile child murder cases

The phone-hacking crisis enveloping the News of the World has intensified after it emerged that Scotland Yard has started to contact the relatives of victims of the 7 July 2005 attacks to warn them they were targeted by the paper.

The revelation that bereaved family members may have had their mobile phone messages intercepted by Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator employed by the paper, in the days following the 2005 London bombings will heap further pressure on the title's owner, News International, part of Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

Police officers are also turning their attention to every high-profile case involving murder, abduction or attack on a child since 2001 in response to the revelation that journalists from the tabloid newspaper hacked into the voicemail messages of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Officers investigating phone hacking have already visited the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were killed in Soham in 2002 by Ian Huntley. Documents seized by the Metropolitan police in a 2006 raid on Mulcaire's home show he targeted Jessica's father, Leslie Chapman.

It is understood the name "Greg" appeared in the corner of notes taken by Mulcaire – believed to be a reference to the News of the World's former assistant editor (news) Greg Miskiw. It is thought that the parents of Holly Wells, were also targeted.

The move is a direct response to the Guardian's exclusive story on Monday that Mulcaire caused Milly Dowler's parents to believe she was still alive – and interfered with police inquiries into her disappearance – by hacking into the teenager's mobile phone and deleting messages.

The news relating to the 7/7 attacks, that came as bereaved relatives prepared to mark the sixth anniversary of the bombings this week, capped a dramatic day of unfolding developments in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

Graham Foulkes, whose son David was killed in the attack at Edgware Road tube station, confirmed that he had been contacted by officers from Operation Weeting, the Met's investigation into phone hacking. He said they told him his mobile phone number, ex-directory landline number and address had been found in records made by Mulcaire that were recovered from the investigator's office in south London.

Foulkes said he would like to meet Murdoch to discuss the allegations. "It fills me with horror. We were in a very dark place [after the bombings]. You think it's as dark as it can get and then you realise there's someone out there who can make it darker," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I'd really like to meet him [Murdoch] face-to-face and have a very in-depth conversation with him about responsibility and the power he has and how it should be used responsibly."

Simon Greenberg, director of corporate affairs at News International, told the Today programme a meeting between Foulkes and Murdoch was "certainly something we would consider". Greenberg insisted that News International had been "highly co-operative" with the police investigation and "very transparent". He pointed to a "dramatic change" in the organisation's behaviour since January and suggested that the News of the World had kickstarted the fresh phone hacking investigation when it handed over information at the start of the year.

It also emerged on Tuesday night that News International had given the Metropolitan police details of payments made by the News of the World to senior police officers between 2003 and 2007, when Andy Coulson was the paper's editor.

The development brings the crisis closer to the door of the prime minister, David Cameron, who appointed Coulson as his director of communications when in opposition and staunchly defended him until Coulson quit in January 2011.

News International said on Tuesday night: "As a result of media inquiries, it is correct to state that new information has recently been provided to the police. As News International and News Group Newspapers has reiterated many times, full and continuing co-operation has been provided to the police since the current investigation started in January 2011. Well-understood arrangements are in place to ensure that any material of importance to which they are entitled is provided to them. We cannot comment any further due to the ongoing investigations."

The revelation suggests a breaking of ranks inside News International since the files on payments to the police are unlikely to have emerged only on Tuesday, but instead were released to the police as senior executives said the paper could no longer continue to cover up the scale of the wrongdoing at the paper.

Pointedly, News International insisted on Tuesday night that the payments to the police did not relate to the period from 2000-2003, when Rebekah Brooks was the paper's editor. Commentators suggested that was a way for the company to deflect the blame on to Coulson.

Pressure has intensified on the newspaper and Brooks, now News International chief executive, who insisted she knew nothing of the Dowler hacking allegations. She edited the News of the World at the time the hacking of Dowler's phone messages took place. On Tuesday night, a former News of the World journalist, Paul McMullan, claimed on BBC Newsnight that Brooks was aware of the phone hacking. Asked if his former editor knew of the activities, he said: "Of course she did."

McMullan, who made similar claims in a conversation that was secretly taped by the actor Hugh Grant earlier this year, described the hacking of Dowler's phone as "not such a big deal".

"The journalists might have helped," he said. "The mistake that was made was that [Mulcaire] was so keen to get new messages he deleted the old ones."

The case of Madeleine McCann is expected to be one of the first to be re-examined by detectives. Clarence Mitchell, Kate and Gerry McCann's spokesman, said he had been interviewed and was due to be interviewed a second time.

Another case likely to be re-examined is that of 15-year-old Danielle Jones, who was abducted and murdered in East Tilbury, Essex, in 2001 by her uncle.

Police officers will trawl through their collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Mulcaire, and seized from him in 2006, when he and the News of the World's royal editor, Clive Goodman, were jailed for hacking into mobile phones belonging to aides to Prince William and Harry.

Mulcaire issued a public apology on Tuesday to all those hurt or upset by his activities, saying that after the developments of the past 24 hours he had to "break his silence". He said: "I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done. I've been to court. I've pleaded guilty. And I've gone to prison and been punished. I still face the possibility of further criminal prosecution.

"Working for the News of the World was never easy. There was relentless pressure. There was a constant demand for results. I knew what we did pushed the limits ethically. But, at the time, I didn't understand that I had broken the law at all."

The media regulator, Ofcom, is understood to be ready to examine whether News Corporation directors would be "fit and proper persons" to own BSkyB – if any senior employees at News Corporation or its UK arm, News International, were charged with hacking-related offences.

News Corporation is closing in on winning regulatory approval for its proposed £8bn-plus takeover of the 61% of BSkyB it does not own. Sources close to the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, who will decide on the issue, insisted he could not take phone hacking into account in the decision that is focused on "media plurality".

Meanwhile a string of high-profile companies – including Ford, npower, Halifax, T-Mobile and Orange – said they would be reviewing or withdrawing their advertising in the News of the World. Those five brands are estimated to account for more than £2m worth of advertising in the tabloid in the past year. T-Mobile and Orange are thought to have spent an estimated £1.5m between them.

Ford said it would be using "alternative media within and outside News International Group instead of placing Ford advertising in the News of the World" while it awaited the outcome of an internal investigation.

"Ford is a company which cares about the standards of behaviour of its own people and those it deals with externally," it said.

Calls for boycotts of the News of the World appeared on Twitter and Facebook, and companies came under sustained pressure to pull their advertising.

Those wishing to direct their fury at the firms who advertise through the News of the World were provided with a one-stop page where they could automatically tweet their concerns to companies such as the Co-operative, easyJet, Butlins and Renault. Others went further, calling for direct boycotts of the firms unless they took their advertising money elsewhere.

John Bercow, the speaker of the Commons, granted a debate – which will take place on Wednesday – into calls for a public inquiry into phone hacking by News International journalists, and whether there was a potential cover-up by its senior executives.

Ministers opposed the emergency debate but, in what will be seen as another show of force by Bercow, he accepted arguments in favour put by the Labour MP Chris Bryant.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said Brooks needed to examine her conscience over the alleged hacking into Milly Dowler's phone and was sure that she would because "this happened on her watch".

Although his words were Labour's strongest intervention so far on the phone-hacking crisis, the party is still undecided about whether to put forward a substantive motion calling for a public inquiry that could be subject to a vote or amendment.

Channel 4 News reported that Brooks was confronted by the Met in 2002 about the targeting by Mulcaire on behalf of the News of the World of a senior detective investigating the murder of a private investigator, Daniel Morgan. The main suspect in the case, which was being led by Detective Superintendent David Cook, was a man with close links to the News of the World.

Cook and his wife, Jackie Haines, were told by Scotland Yard in April this year that their mobile phone numbers and payroll details had been found in Mulcaire's notebook. News International said it could not confirm or deny whether Brooks had ever attended such a meeting.

Lady Buscombe, the chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, said she was lied to by the News of the World over phone hacking.

"There's only so much we can do when people are lying to us. We know now that I was not being given the truth by the News of the World," she told the BBC's Daily Politics.

Brooks emailed employees at News International on Tuesday to insist she knew nothing about phone hacking: "It is inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned these appalling allegations. I am aware of the speculation about my position.

"Therefore it is important you all know that as chief executive, I am determined to lead the company to ensure we do the right thing and resolve these serious issues."

Phone hackingNews of the WorldNational newspapersNewspapersNewspapers & magazinesRebekah BrooksGlenn MulcaireAndy Coulson7 July London attacksMetropolitan policePoliceJames RobinsonAmelia HillSam JonesNick DaviesDan Sabbagh
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Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, the News of the World and phone hacking – interactive timeline

How the saga unfolded – from suspicions that Prince William's messages were being listened to, to calls for a public inquiry and the hacking of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's voicemail

Alicia CanterNick DaviesChristine Oliver

Families of 7/7 victims 'were targets of phone hacking'

New revelation deepens crisis at News of the World after it emerges that officers will review child murder cases

The phone-hacking crisis enveloping the News of the World intensified on Tuesday night after it emerged that Scotland Yard has started to contact the relatives of victims of the 7 July 2005 attacks to warn them they were targeted by the paper.

The revelation that bereaved family members may have had their mobile phone messages intercepted by Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator employed by the paper, in the days following the 2005 London bombings will heap further pressure on the title's owner, News International, part of Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

Graham Foulkes, whose son David was killed in the attack at Edgware Road tube station, confirmed that he had been contacted by officers from Operation Weeting, the Met's investigation into phone hacking. He said they had told him his mobile phone number, ex-directory landline number and address had been found in records made by Mulcaire that were recovered from the investigator's office in south London.

Foulkes's solicitor, Clifford Tibber, who represents several families who had relatives killed in the terrorist attack, said the news had "come as a terrible shock" to them as they prepared to mark the sixth anniversary of the bombings this week.

The news capped a dramatic day of unfolding developments in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

Police officers are turning their attention to examine every high-profile case involving the murder, abduction or attack on any child since 2001 – in response to the revelation that journalists from the tabloid newspaper hacked into the voicemail messages of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Officers have already told the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the girls killed in Soham in 2002 by Ian Huntley, that their mobiles had been hacked. Documents seized by the Metropolitan police in a 2006 raid on Mulcaire's home show he targeted Leslie Chapman, the father of Jessica Chapman.

It is understood the name "Greg" appeared in the corner of notes taken by Mulcaire – believed to be a reference to the News of the World's former assistant editor (news) Greg Miskiw. It is thought that parents of Holly Wells, were also targeted.

The move is a direct response to the Guardian's exclusive story on Monday that Mulcaire caused Milly's parents to wrongly believe she was still alive – and interfered with police inquiries into her disappearance – by hacking into the teenager's mobile phone and deleting messages.

On Tuesday night it also emerged that News International had given the Metropolitan police details of payments made by News of the World to senior police officers between 2003 and 2007, the period when Andy Coulson was the paper's editor.

The development brings the crisis closer to the door of prime minister David Cameron who appointed Coulson as his director of communications when in opposition and then staunchly defended him until Coulson quit in January 2011.

News International said on Tuesday night: "As a result of media enquiries, it is correct to state that new information has recently been provided to the police. As News International and News Group Newspapers has reiterated many times, full and continuing cooperation has been provided to the police since the current investigation started in January 2011. Well understood arrangements are in place to ensure that any material of importance to which they are entitled is provided to them. We cannot comment any further due to the ongoing investigations."

The revelation also suggests there is now a breaking of ranks inside News International since the files on payments to the police are unlikely to have emerged only yesterday, but instead were released to the police as senior executives said the paper could no longer continue to cover up the scale of the wrong doing at the paper.

Pointedly, News International insisted on Tuesday night that the payments to the police did not relate to the period from 2000-2003, when Rebekah Brooks was the paper's editor. Commentators suggested that was a way for the company to deflect the blame on to Coulson.

Pressure has intensified on the newspaper and Brooks – now News International chief executive – who insisted she knew nothing of the Dowler hacking allegations. She edited the News of the World at the time the hacking of Dowler's phone messages took place. On Tuesday night, former News of the World journalist Paul McMullan claimed on BBC Newsnight that Brooks was aware of the phone hacking. Asked if his former editor knew of the activities, he said: "Of course she did."

McMullen, who made similar claims in a conversation that was secretly by taped by actor Hugh Grant earlier this year, described the hacking of Dowler's phone as "not such a big deal".

He said: "The journalists might have helped. The mistake that was made was that [Mulcaire] was so keen to get new messages he deleted the old ones."

The case of Madeleine McCann is expected to be one of the first to be re-examined by detectives.

Clarence Mitchell, Kate and Gerry McCann's spokesman, said he had been interviewed and was due to be interviewed a second time.

Another case likely to be re-examined is that of 15-year-old Danielle Jones, who was abducted and murdered in East Tilbury, Essex, in 2001 by her uncle.

Police officers will trawl through their collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Mulcaire, and seized from him in 2006, when he and the News of the World's royal editor, Clive Goodman, were jailed for hacking into mobile phones belonging to aides to Prince William and Harry.

Mulcaire issued a public apology on Tuesday to all those hurt or upset by his activities, saying that after the developments of the past 24 hours he had to "break his silence". He said: "I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done. I've been to court. I've pleaded guilty. And I've gone to prison and been punished. I still face the possibility of further criminal prosecution.

"Working for the News of the World was never easy. There was relentless pressure. There was a constant demand for results. I knew what we did pushed the limits ethically. But, at the time, I didn't understand that I had broken the law at all."

The media regulator, Ofcom, is understood to be ready to examine whether News Corporation directors would be "fit and proper persons" to own BSkyB – if any senior employees at News Corporation or its UK arm, News International, were charged with hacking-related offences.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is closing in on winning regulatory approval for its proposed £8bn-plus takeover of the 61% of BSkyB it does not own. Sources close to the culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, who will decide on the issue, insisted he could not take phone hacking into account in the decision that is focused on "media plurality".

Meanwhile a string of high-profile companies – including Ford, npower, Halifax, T-Mobile and Orange – said they would be reviewing or withdrawing their advertising in the News of the World. Those five brands are estimated to account for more than £2m worth of advertising in the tabloid in the past year. T-Mobile and Orange are thought to have spent an estimated £1.5m between them.

Ford said it would be using "alternative media within and outside News International Group instead of placing Ford advertising in the News of the World" while it awaited the outcome of an internal investigation.

The company added: "Ford is a company which cares about the standards of behaviour of its own people and those it deals with externally."

Calls for boycotts of the News of the World appeared on Twitter and Facebook, and companies came under sustained pressure to pull their advertising from it.

Those wishing to direct their fury at the firms who advertise through the News of the World were provided with a one-stop page where they could automatically tweet their concerns to companies such as the Co-operative, easyJet, Butlins and Renault. Others went further, and calling for direct boycotts of the firms unless they took their advertising money elsewhere.

John Bercow, the speaker of Commons, granted a debate – which will happen on Wednesday – into calls for a public inquiry into phone hacking by News International journalists, and whether there was a potential cover-up by its senior executives.

Ministers in the Commons opposed the emergency debate but, in what will be seen as another show of force by Bercow, he accepted arguments in favour put by the Labour MP Chris Bryant.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said Brooks needed to "examine her conscience" and that he was sure that she would because "this happened on her watch".

Although his words were Labour's strongest intervention so far on the phone-hacking crisis, the party is still undecided about whether to put forward a substantive motion calling for a public inquiry that could be subject to a vote or amendment.

Media regulator Ofcom is understood to be standing by ready to examine whether News Corporation directors would be "fit and proper persons" to own BSkyB – if any senior employees at News Corporation or its UK arm News International were charged with any hacking related offences. Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is closing in on winning regulatory approval for its proposed £8bn-plus takeover of the 61% of BSkyB it does not own – with sources close to the deciding minister, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, insisting again that he could not take phone hacking into account of a decision that is focused on "media plurality".

Channel 4 News reported that Brooks was confronted by the Met in 2002 about the fact a senior detective investigating the murder of a private investigator, Daniel Morgan, was targeted by Mulcaire on behalf of the News of the World. The main suspect in the case, which was being led by Detective Superintendent David Cook, was a man with close links to the News of the World.

Cook and his wife, Jackie Haines, were told by Scotland Yard in April this year their mobile phone numbers and payroll details had been found in Mulcaire's notebook. News International said it could not confirm or deny whether Brooks had ever attended such a meeting.

Lady Buscombe, the chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, said she was lied to by the News of the World over phone hacking.

"There's only so much we can do when people are lying to us. We know now that I was not being given the truth by the News of the World," she told the BBC's Daily Politics.

Brooks emailed employees at News International on Tuesday to insist she knew nothing about phone hacking: "It is inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned these appalling allegations. I am aware of the speculation about my position.

"Therefore it is important you all know that as chief executive, I am determined to lead the company to ensure we do the right thing and resolve these serious issues."

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News of the World phone hacking: Police review all child abduction cases

Detectives to examine every case involving attacks on children since 2001 in response to Milly Dowler phone hacking

Police officers investigating phone hacking by the News of the World are turning their attention to examine every high-profile case involving the murder, abduction or attack on any child since 2001 in response to the revelation that journalists from the tabloid newspaper hacked into the voicemail messages of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

The move is a direct response to the Guardian's exclusive story on Monday that a private investigator working for the News International tabloid, Glenn Mulcaire, caused her parents to wrongly believe she was still alive – and interfered with police inquiries into her disappearance – by hacking into the teenager's mobile phone and deleting messages.

The case of Madeleine McCann is expected to be one of the first to be re-examined by detectives from Scotland Yard's new inquiry into the phone hacking, Operation Weeting. Other cases likely to be re-examined include 15-year-old Danielle Jones, who was abducted and murdered in East Tilbury, Essex, in 2001 by her uncle, Stuart Campbell.

Officers from Operation Weeting have already told the parents of the girls killed in Soham in 2002 by Ian Huntley that their mobiles had been hacked. Documents seized by the Metropolitan police in a 2006 raid on Mulcaire's home show he targeted Leslie Chapman, the father of Jessica Chapman.

It is understood the name "Greg" appeared in the corner of notes taken by Mulcaire – believed to be a reference to the News of the World's former assistant editor (news) Greg Miskiw. It is thought that parents of the other murdered girl, Holly Wells, were also targeted.

Police officers will trawl through their collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Mulcaire, and seized from him in 2006, when he and the News of the World's royal editor, Clive Goodman, were jailed for hacking into mobile phones belonging to aides to Prince William and Harry and other members of the royal household.

Mulcaire issued a public apology on Tuesday to all those hurt or upset by his activities, saying that after the developments of the past 24 hours he had to "break his silence". He said: "I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done. I've been to court. I've pleaded guilty. And I've gone to prison and been punished. I still face the possibility of further criminal prosecution.

"Working for the News of the World was never easy. There was relentless pressure. There was a constant demand for results. I knew what we did pushed the limits ethically. But, at the time, I didn't understand that I had broken the law at all."

News of the impending police action capped a dramatic day of developments in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

Throughout the day pressure intensified on the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper and, in particular, its former editor and now News International chief executive, Rebekah Brooks – who insisted she knew nothing of the Dowler hacking allegations. She was the editor of the News of the World at the time the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone messages took place.

The media regulator, Ofcom, is understood to be ready to examine whether News Corporation directors would be "fit and proper persons" to own BSkyB – if any senior employees at News Corporation or its UK arm, News International, were charged with hacking-related offences.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is closing in on winning regulatory approval for its proposed £8bn-plus takeover of the 61% of BSkyB it does not own. Sources close to the culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, who will decide on the issue, insisted he could not take phone hacking into account in a decision that is focused on "media plurality".

Meanwhile a string of high-profile companies – including Ford, npower, Halifax, T-Mobile and Orange – said they would be reviewing or withdrawing their advertising in the News of the World.

These five brands are estimated to account for more than £2m worth of advertising in the tabloid in the past year. T-Mobile and Orange are thought to have spent an estimated £1.5m between them.

Ford said it would be using "alternative media within and outside News International Group instead of placing Ford advertising in the News of the World" while it awaited the outcome of an internal investigation.

The company added: "Ford is a company which cares about the standards of behaviour of its own people and those it deals with externally."

Halifax said it was "considering our options" about advertising in the News of the World, adding: "We are sensitive to the views of our customers and will take them into account."

Calls for boycotts of the News of the World appeared on Twitter and Facebook, and companies came under sustained pressure to pull their advertising from it.

Those wishing to direct their fury at the firms who advertise through the News of the World were provided with a one-stop page where they could automatically tweet their concerns to companies such as the Co-operative, easyJet, Butlins and Renault. Others went further, calling for direct boycotts of the firms unless they took their advertising money elsewhere.

John Bercow, the speaker of Commons, granted a rare emergency debate – which will happen on Wednesday – into calls for a public inquiry into phone hacking by News International journalists, and whether there was a potential cover-up by its senior executives.

Ministers in the Commons opposed the emergency debate but, in what will be seen as another show of force by Bercow, he accepted arguments in favour put by the Labour MP Chris Bryant.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said Brooks needed to "examine her conscience" and that he was sure that she would because "this happened on her watch".

Although his words were Labour's strongest intervention so far on the phone-hacking crisis, the party is still undecided about whether to put forward a substantive motion calling for a public inquiry that could be subject to a vote or amendment.

In the first sign of potential coalition tension of the Conservative Hunt's planned approval of the Murdoch BSkyB deal, Tim Farron, the president of the Liberal Democrats, told BBC Radio 4's World at Oneon Tuesday: "I ask myself, is Rupert Murdoch a fit and proper person to own any more of the media market? Well, certainly not." The Milly Dowler revelations were the "tip of the iceberg", he added.

Channel 4 News reported that Brooks was confronted by the Met in 2002 about the fact a senior detective investigating the murder of a private investigator, Daniel Morgan, was targeted by Mulcaire on behalf of the News of the World. The main suspect in the case, which was being led by Detective Superintendent David Cook, was a man with close links to the News of the World.

Cook and his wife, Jackie Haines, were told by Scotland Yard in April this year their mobile phone numbers and payroll details had been found in Mulcaire's notebook. News International said it could not confirm or deny whether Brooks had ever attended such a meeting.

Lady Buscombe, the chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, said she was lied to by the News of the World over phone hacking.

"There's only so much we can do when people are lying to us. We know now that I was not being given the truth by the News of the World," she told the BBC's Daily Politics.

Brooks emailed employees at News International to insist she knew nothing about phone hacking: "It is inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned these appalling allegations. I am aware of the speculation about my position.

"Therefore it is important you all know that as chief executive, I am determined to lead the company to ensure we do the right thing and resolve these serious issues."

Phone hackingNewspapers & magazinesNational newspapersGlenn MulcaireNews of the WorldNewspapersRebekah BrooksMilly DowlerSoham murdersCrimeMetropolitan policePoliceBSkyBBSkyBAmelia HillJames RobinsonSam JonesDan SabbaghNick Davies
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Phone hacking: Glenn Mulcaire blames 'relentless pressure' by NoW for actions

Private investigator says sorry for hurt and upset caused while under a constant demand for results from newspaper

The private investigator at the centre of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal has issued a public apology to all those who have been hurt or upset by his activity.

In a statement released exclusively to the Guardian, Glenn Mulcaire made no direct reference to the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone, but he said he had never intended to interfere with any police inquiry.

"I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done," he said, adding that he had worked at the NoW under "constant demand for results".

He released the statement at the Guardian's request after experiencing what he described as "vilification" following the revelation of the hacking of the missing schoolgirl's phone.

"Much has been published in the media about me. Up to now, I have not responded publicly in any way to all the stories but in the light of the publicity over the last 24 hours, I feel I must break my silence.

"I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done. I've been to court. I've pleaded guilty. And I've gone to prison and been punished. I still face the possibility of further criminal prosecution.

"Working for the News of the World was never easy. There was relentless pressure. There was a constant demand for results. I knew what we did pushed the limits ethically. But, at the time, I didn't understand that I had broken the law at all.

"A lot of information I obtained was simply tittle-tattle, of no great importance to anyone, but sometimes what I did was for what I thought was the greater good, to carry out investigative journalism.

"I never had any intention of interfering with any police inquiry into any crime.

"I know I have brought the vilification I am experiencing upon myself, but I do ask the media to leave my family and my children, who are all blameless, alone."

The statement came as it emerged the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the two children murdered by Ian Huntley, were contacted by Scotland Yard detectives investigating phone hacking at the NoW.

Earlier Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International, told employees it was "inconceivable" she knew that NoW, which she edited at the time, hacked into Milly Dowler's mobile phone.

On Wednesday there will be a rare emergency Commons debate into calls for a public inquiry into phone hacking by News International journalists, and a potential cover up by its senior executives.

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Rebekah Brooks: 'It's inconceivable I knew of Milly Dowler phone hacking'

• News International chief executive tells staff she will not quit
• Press complaints boss says News of the World lied to inquiry
• Miliband calls on Brooks to consider 'her position'

Rebekah Brooks has told employees it is "inconceivable" she knew that the News of the World hacked into Milly Dowler's mobile phone.

The News International chief executive said she was "sickened" by the events, but insisted she was "determined to lead the company" – despite calls for her to resign.

Ed Miliband said Brooks should "consider her position" and has called for a public inquiry after the Guardian revealed the News of the World illegally accessed Dowler's voicemail messages under Brooks's editorship. David Cameron earlier described the hacking as a "truly dreadful act" and urged police to "pursue this in the most vigorous way", while the home secretary, Theresa May, said anyone who could commit such hacking was "sick".

Brooks, who was editing the paper at the time, emailed employees today to tell them: "It is inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned these appalling allegations. I am aware of the speculation about my position. Therefore it is important you all know that as chief executive, I am determined to lead the company to ensure we do the right thing and resolve these serious issues."

Brooks said she has written to Milly Dowler's parents on Tuesday morning "to assure them News International will vigorously pursue the truth and that they will be the first to be informed of the outcome of our investigation".

She added: "I am sickened that these events are alleged to have happened. Not just because I was editor of the News of the World at the time, but if the accusations are true, the devastating effect on Milly Dowler's family is unforgivable."

Senior executives at News International discussed the Dowler revelations at a meeting with police this morning to talk about Scotland Yard's ongoing investigation into phone hacking. News International said Rebekah Brooks was not present at the meeting.

A senior source at the News of the World's owner said it was a pre-arranged meeting with officers from Operation Weeting, the Met's investigation into phone hacking that began at the start of the year.

Brooks said in her email: "This morning, in our regular Operation Weeting meeting, we have offered the MPS our full co-operation to establish the veracity of these fresh allegations."

Miliband had earlier called for a public inquiry and said Brooks should "consider her conscience and consider her position", as pressure mounts on the chief executive.

Meanwhile, the Press Complaints Commission chairwoman Peta Buscombe said she was lied to by the News of the World over phone hacking.

Buscombe had said in 2009 that the PCC was not misled by the News of the World during its own inquiry into phone hacking. However, on the BBC's Daily Politics show, she admitted she had been "misled by the News of the World".

"There's only so much we can do when people are lying to us. We know now that I was not being given the truth by the News of the World," Buscombe said. She denied having sided with the newspaper.

Miliband said the latest revelations in the News of the World phone-hacking saga were a "stain" on news reporting in the country. He added that the hacking "represents one of the darkest days in British journalism".

Earlier Cameron, currently in Afghanistan, said of the Guardian's revelation that the News of the World illegally targeted Milly Dowler and her family: "If they are true this is a truly dreadful act and a truly dreadful situation."

He added: "There is a police investigation into hacking allegations … they should investigate this without any fear, without any favour, without any worry about where the evidence should lead them.

"They should pursue this in the most vigorous way that they can in order to get to the truth of what happened. That is the absolute priority as a police investigation."

The home secretary told the home affairs select committee the revelations were "totally shocking" but said she did not know if the News of the World used hacking in relation to the Soham murders.

May was asked if there should be a public inquiry into the affair, but said the ongoing police investigation should be allowed to run.

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, whose force is accused of not investigating phone hacking properly in the first place, said on Tuesday: "My heart goes out to the Dowler family."

He told BBC London: "I have to be very careful to say nothing that could prejudice our live investigation but if it is proved to be true, then irrespective of the legality or illegality of it, I'm not sure there is anyone who wouldn't be appalled and repulsed by such behaviour."

Former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott said on Twitter that he would write to the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, demanding he block News Corp's bid to take full control of pay-TV company BSkyB following the revelations about Dowler.

However, John Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that phone hacking at the News of the World should not taint the rest of Rupert Murdoch's empire. "You cannot necessarily condemn the entire of News Corp just because of the actions of some individuals in another part of the organisation," he said.

"News International is a part of News Corp but it's a different part. News Corp is a global enterprise and I don't think one should condemn the entire organisation because something very clearly was going wrong in the News of the World."

Detectives from Operation Weeting are believed to have found evidence of the targeting of the Dowlers in a collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for phone hacking on behalf of the News of the World.

In the past four weeks Met officers have approached Surrey police and taken formal statements from some of those involved in the original inquiry, who were concerned about how News of the World journalists intercepted – and deleted – the voicemail messages of Milly Dowler.

The messages were deleted by journalists in the first few days after Milly's disappearance to create space for more messages. As a result friends and relatives of Milly concluded wrongly she might still be alive. Police also feared evidence may have been destroyed.

Rebekah BrooksMilly DowlerPhone hackingNews of the WorldPress Complaints CommissionNewspapers & magazinesNational newspapersNewspapersPeta BuscombeEd MilibandDavid CameronTheresa MayNews CorporationNews InternationalMedia businessPrivacyPrivacy & the mediaJames RobinsonAdam GabbattSandra LavilleNick DaviesAmelia HillTara Conlan
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Rebekah Brooks says it is 'inconceivable' she knew of Milly Dowler phone hacking

News International chief executive determined to lead newspaper group despite calls for her to resign

Rebekah Brooks has told employees it is "inconceivable" she knew that the News of the World hacked into Milly Dowler's mobile phone.

The News International chief executive said she was "sickened" by the events, but insisted she was "determined to lead the company" – despite calls for her to resign.

Ed Miliband said Brooks should "consider her position" and has called for a public inquiry after the Guardian revealed the News of the World illegally accessed Dowler's voicemail messages under Brooks's editorship. David Cameron earlier described the hacking as a "truly dreadful act" and urged police to "pursue this in the most vigorous way".

Brooks, who was editing the paper at the time, emailed employees today to tell them: "It is inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned these appalling allegations. I am aware of the speculation about my position. Therefore it is important you all know that as chief executive, I am determined to lead the company to ensure we do the right thing and resolve these serious issues."

Brooks said she has written to Milly Dowler's parents on Tuesday morning "to assure them News International will vigorously pursue the truth and that they will be the first to be informed of the outcome of our investigation".

She added: "I am sickened that these events are alleged to have happened. Not just because I was editor of the News of the World at the time, but if the accusations are true, the devastating effect on Milly Dowler's family is unforgivable".

Senior executives at News International, including Brooks, discussed the Dowler revelations at a meeting with police this morning to talk about Scotland Yard's ongoing investigation into phone-hacking.

A senior source at the News of the World's owner said it was a pre-arranged meeting with officers from Operation Weeting, the Met's investigation into phone-hacking that began at the start of the year.

Brooks said in her email: "This morning, in our regular Operation Weeting meeting, we have offered the MPS our full co-operation to establish the veracity of these fresh allegations."

Miliband had earlier called for a public inquiry and said Brooks should "consider her conscience and consider her position", as pressure mounts on the chief executive.

Miliband said the latest revelations in the News of the World phone-hacking saga were a "stain" on news reporting in the country. He added that the hacking "represents one of the darkest days in British journalism".

Earlier Cameron, currently in Afghanistan, said of the Guardian's revelation that the News of the World illegally targeted Milly Dowler and her family: "If they are true this is a truly dreadful act and a truly dreadful situation. What I've read in the papers is quite shocking, that someone could do this knowing that the police were trying to find this person and find out what happened.

"There is a police investigation into hacking allegations ... they should investigate this without any fear, without any favour, without any worry about where the evidence should lead them.

"They should pursue this in the most vigorous way that they can in order to get to the truth of what happened. That is the absolute priority as a police investigation."

The home secretary, Theresa May, said news of the hacking was "truly shocking", and said it "should be investigated with great vigour".

Keith Vaz told the BBC the home affairs select committee would ask May whether there is any evidence of hacking in the Soham murders or any other cases.

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, whose force is accused of not investigating phone hacking properly in the first place, said on Tuesday: "My heart goes out to the Dowler family."

He told BBC London: "I have to be very careful to say nothing that could prejudice our live investigation but if it is proved to be true, then irrespective of the legality or illegality of it, I'm not sure there is anyone who wouldn't be appalled and repulsed by such behaviour."

Former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott said on Twitter that he would write to the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, demanding he block News Corp's bid to take full control of pay-TV company BSkyB following the revelations about Dowler.

However, John Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that phone hacking at the News of the World should not taint the rest of Rupert Murdoch's empire. "You cannot necessarily condemn the entire of News Corp just because of the actions of some individuals in another part of the organisation," he said.

"News International is a part of News Corp but it's a different part. News Corp is a global enterprise and I don't think one should condemn the entire organisation because something very clearly was going wrong in the News of the World."

Detectives from Operation Weeting are believed to have found evidence of the targeting of the Dowlers in a collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for phone hacking on behalf of the News of the World.

In the past four weeks, Met officers have approached Surrey police and taken formal statements from some of those involved in the original inquiry, who were concerned about how News of the World journalists intercepted – and deleted – the voicemail messages of Milly Dowler.

The messages were deleted by journalists in the first few days after Milly's disappearance to create space for more messages. As a result friends and relatives of Milly concluded wrongly she might still be alive. Police also feared evidence may have been destroyed.

Milly DowlerPhone hackingNews of the WorldNewspapers & magazinesNational newspapersNewspapersJames RobinsonAdam GabbattSandra LavilleNick DaviesAmelia Hill
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Miliband says Brooks must consider her position over phone hacking

Labour leader calls for public inquiry after Milly Dowler phone-hacking claims as Cameron brands news 'a truly dreadful act'

Ed Miliband has called for Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International, to "consider her position" and called for a public inquiry after it emerged the News of the World hacked into Milly Dowler's mobile phone while Brooks was editor.

It comes after David Cameron described the hacking as a "truly dreadful act" and urged police to "pursue this in the most vigorous way".

Police were due to meet with senior executives from News International on Tuesday morning, according to reports, with Brooks's role coming under increasing scrutiny. The current News International chief executive has insisted she would not resign.

Miliband joined the Labour shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, in calling for a public inquiry into the Guardian's revelations that Milly Dowler's mobile phone was repeatedly targeted by the News of the World.

The Labour leader said Brooks should "consider her conscience and consider her position", as pressure mounts on the News International chief executive.

Miliband said the latest revelations in the News of the World phone-hacking saga were a "stain" on news reporting in the country. He added that the hacking "represents one of the darkest days in British journalism".

Earlier Cameron, who is visiting British troops in Afghanistan, had said of the Guardian's revelation that the News of the World illegally targeted Milly Dowler and her family: "If they are true this is a truly dreadful act and a truly dreadful situation.

"What I've read in the papers is quite shocking, that someone could do this knowing that the police were trying to find this person and find out what happened.

"There is a police investigation into hacking allegations ... they should investigate this without any fear, without any favour, without any worry about where the evidence should lead them.

"They should pursue this in the most vigorous way that they can in order to get to the truth of what happened.

"That is the absolute priority as a police investigation."

The home secretary, Theresa May, said news of the hacking was "truly shocking", and said it "should be investigated with great vigour".

Keith Vaz told the BBC that the home affairs select committee would ask May whether there is any evidence of hacking in the Soham murders or any other cases.

The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, whose force is accused of not investigating phone hacking properly in the first place, said on Tuesday his sympathies were with Milly Dowler's family.

"My heart goes out to the Dowler family. Whose heart wouldn't with the additional distress this must have caused them," Stephenson told BBC London.

"I have to be very careful to say nothing that could prejudice our live investigation but if it is proved to be true, then irrespective of the legality or illegality of it, I'm not sure there is anyone who wouldn't be appalled and repulsed by such behaviour."

The BBC reported that police were to meet News of the World executives at 9.30am on Tuesday to discuss the phone hacking, although the Met police would not confirm the meeting.

The BBC's business editor, Robert Peston, wrote on his blog that Brooks "is not planning to resign". Brooks was editor of the News of the World when the hacking took place, with Andy Coulson as her deputy. Coulson resigned as the prime minister's media adviser in January.

Peston quoted a News International executive as saying Rupert Murdoch "is backing [Brooks] 100%".

Former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott said on Twitter that he would write to the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, demanding he block News Corp's bid to take full control of pay-TV company BSkyB following the revelations about Dowler.

However, John Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that phone hacking at the News of the World should not taint the rest of Rupert Murdoch's empire.

"You cannot necessarily condemn the entire of News Corp just because of the actions of some individuals in another part of the organisation," he said.

"News International is a part of News Corp but it's a different part. News Corp is a global enterprise and I don't think one should condemn the entire organisation because something very clearly was going wrong in the News of the World."

When Today presenter Evan Davies pointed out to the Conservative MP that News International had denied wrongdoings at the News of the World despite having evidence that could suggest hacking was ongoing, Whittingdale responded: "Well, they denied it to my committee."

He added: "We were told that a thorough investigation had been carried out which had produced no evidence. Now, even at that time we expressed considerable doubts as to whether or not that investigation was thorough.

"I think now we can almost certainly conclude that it wasn't, and those are questions which still need to be addressed."

Labour has already called for an independent inquiry into journalistic practices at the newspaper.

Yvette Cooper said the newspaper's actions were "despicable" and called for a wide-ranging inquiry.

"Everyone across the country will be deeply disturbed and horrified at this shocking news," she said.

"The idea that private investigators working for a newspaper would hack into the phone of a missing 13-year-old girl is truly despicable."

Labour MP Tom Watson called on Monday for the prime minister to act, but also laid some of the blame on his own party leader.

"Surely now we should hear from David Cameron and Ed Miliband," Watson said. "It's utterly disgraceful that they've let this scandal run on for as long as it has. No more cowardice – we want action."

Miliband had said he was "shocked by the news of the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone".

He added: "It beggars belief that anyone would undertake such a cruel and immoral act.

"The police inquiry must get to the bottom of who was responsible for this and who was complicit in it."

Detectives from Scotland Yard's inquiry into phone hacking, Operation Weeting, are believed to have found evidence of the targeting of the Dowlers in a collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for phone hacking on behalf of the News of the World.

In the last four weeks, Met officers have approached Surrey police and taken formal statements from some of those involved in the original inquiry, who were concerned about how News of the World journalists intercepted – and deleted – the voicemail messages of Milly Dowler.

The messages were deleted by journalists in the first few days after Milly's disappearance to free up space for more messages. As a result friends and relatives of Milly concluded wrongly she might still be alive. Police also feared evidence may have been destroyed.

Milly DowlerPhone hackingRebekah BrooksEd MilibandNews InternationalNews CorporationNews of the WorldDavid CameronMedia businessCrimeNational newspapersNewspapers & magazinesNewspapersAndy CoulsonJohn PrescottPrivacyPrivacy & the mediaYvette CooperAdam GabbattNick DaviesAmelia HillSandra Laville
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Milly Dowler phone hacking pressures News of the World to come clean

Labour demands inquiry as police reportedly meet newspaper to discuss phone hacking of murdered girl's voicemail messages

Pressure is growing on News International with Labour calling for an independent inquiry into journalistic practices at the News of the World over the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone.

The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, called the newspaper's actions "despicable" and said there should be a wide-ranging inquiry.

The call comes amid reports that police are to meet with News of the World executives to discuss the hacking.

"Everyone across the country will be deeply disturbed and horrified at this shocking news," Cooper said. "The idea that private investigators working for a newspaper would hack into the phone of a missing 13-year-old girl is truly despicable."

Labour MP Tom Watson called on Monday for the prime minister to act over the phone hacking, but also laid some of the blame on his own party leader.

"Surely now we should hear from David Cameron and Ed Miliband," Watson said. "It's utterly disgraceful that they've let this scandal run on for as long as it has. No more cowardice – we want action."

Miliband later said he was "shocked by the news of the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone".

He added: "It beggars belief that anyone would undertake such a cruel and immoral act.

"The police inquiry must get to the bottom of who was responsible for this and who was complicit in it."

David Cameron, who was in Afghanistan on Monday, has yet to speak on the issue.

The BBC reported that police are to meet News of the World executives to discuss the phone hacking, although the Metropolitan police would not confirm the news on Tuesday morning.

Detectives from Scotland Yard's new inquiry into phone hacking, Operation Weeting, are believed to have found evidence of the targeting of the Dowlers in a collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for phone hacking on behalf of the News of the World.

In the last four weeks Met officers have approached Surrey police and taken formal statements from some of those involved in the original inquiry, who were concerned about how News of the World journalists intercepted – and deleted – the voicemail messages of Milly Dowler.

The messages were deleted by journalists in the first few days after Milly's disappearance to free up space for more messages. As a result friends and relatives of Milly concluded wrongly that she might still be alive. Police also feared evidence may have been destroyed.

Milly DowlerPhone hackingCrimeNewspapers & magazinesNational newspapersNewspapersNews CorporationMedia businessNews InternationalNews of the WorldPrivacyPrivacy & the mediaYvette CooperNick DaviesAdam GabbattAmelia Hill
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