MPs to rule on Murdoch's version

James Murdoch answers questions at Portcullis House in London
12 April 2012

Media boss James Murdoch has become embroiled in a bitter row over his claim that two former executives at the News of the World misled Parliament about his knowledge of phone hacking at the newspaper.

In a bruising second appearance before the House of Commons Culture Committee's inquiry into the scandal, Mr Murdoch insisted he had not learned until recently that the practice of illegally eavesdropping on private phone messages went beyond a single "rogue reporter".

Mr Murdoch "disputed vigorously" claims from former editor Colin Myler and ex-legal manager Tom Crone that they informed him at a meeting in June 2008 of the significance of an email revealing the practice was more widespread.

Evidence given to the committee by Mr Crone and Mr Myler in September was "inconsistent and not right", he said, adding: "I believe their testimony was misleading and I dispute it."

In a statement released shortly after the hearing, Mr Crone described his former boss's comments as "disingenuous".

"It is regrettable, but I can perfectly understand why James Murdoch felt the need to discredit Colin Myler and myself," he said. "The simple truth is that he was told by us in 2008 about the damning email and what it meant in terms of wider News of the World involvement.

"It seems he now accepts he was told of the email, of the fact that it contained transcripts of voicemail interceptions and that those interceptions were authorised by the News of the World. Perhaps Mr Murdoch could explain who he thought was doing the authorising at the News of the World? At best, his evidence on this matter was disingenuous."

In a two-and-a-half-hour grilling, Mr Murdoch was accused by Labour MP and phone-hacking campaigner Tom Watson of acting like a "mafia boss" whose company operated an "omerta"-style code of silence to cover up criminal behaviour.

The News International chief rejected the comparisons as "offensive and not true", and committee chairman John Whittingdale later told LBC 97.3 radio that Mr Watson's questioning had been "rude" and "abusive". Mr Murdoch also apologised "unreservedly" to Mr Watson over News International's hiring of a private investigator to spy on the politician.

He condemned his own company's use of private investigators to carry out surveillance of lawyers representing hacking victims as "appalling" and "unacceptable", but said it was ordered by Mr Crone and another NotW employee without authorisation.

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