The many-tentacled Rupert Murdoch phone-hacking scandal

[marmar]

from the Guardian UK:




Sir Gus O'Donnell, the cabinet secretary, blocked an attempt by Gordon Brown before the general election to hold a judicial inquiry into allegations that the News of the World had hacked into the phones of cabinet ministers and other high-profile figures.

As News International prepares to pay compensation to victims of the illegal practice, the Guardian understands that Britain's most senior civil servant took steps to prevent an inquiry on the grounds that it would be too sensitive before last year's general election.

The then prime minister, who warned Peter Mandelson in 2009 that his phone had been hacked on behalf of the News of the World, wanted a judicial inquiry after new evidence of the illegal practice emerged that summer.

The Guardian revealed in July 2009 that Rupert Murdoch's News Group newspapers had paid more than £1m to settle legal cases that threatened to reveal illegal phone hacking by private investigators on behalf of News of the World. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/10/gordon-brown-hacking-inquiry-civil-service

[crickets]

1. "Britain's most senior civil servant took steps to prevent an inquiry on the grounds

that it would be too sensitive before last year's general election."

This sounds so familiar. Doesn't this sound familiar?

I was initially impressed by the description of Charlotte Harris, who seemed to be digging for the truth on behalf of her clients...

How are we meant to know what to accept {for settlement} if we don't know the full extent of what has happened?

Oh. Never mind.

[upi402]

2. k/r n/t