Rebekah Brooks: shes always been able to get what she wants from people

From charming the powerful to threatening foes, the ex-News International chief is adored and loathed in equal measure

When Elisabeth Murdoch celebrated her 40th birthday in the summer of 2008, Rebekah Brooks produced a 32-page souvenir edition of the Sun for the guests at her party with joke stories, a spoof agony aunt column and a Page 3 picture with Elisabeths head grafted on to the body of a naked woman (headline: Lizzies the breast).

Among the parody, Brooks had also secured personal messages from the then prime minister, Gordon Brown; his predecessor, Tony Blair; and his eventual successor, David Cameron; as well as two serving cabinet ministers, John Reid and Tessa Jowell. All were effusive, if not sycophantic. Liz is fabulous, fantastic and funny was Blairs opening line.

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