News of the World reporter's letter saying hacking was 'widely discussed' released by MPs
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MPs have released a letter from the News of the World's former royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed for phone hacking, alleging that senior figures at the paper knew what was going on.
Goodman wrote the letter to News International as he appealed against his dismissal in 2007, saying hacking was "widely discussed" at the paper and that he had been promised his job back if he did not implicate it in court.
In a separate move, the Commons culture committee may recall James Murdoch.
Committee chairman, Tory MP John Whittingdale, said that it might recall Mr Murdoch to give further evidence because it needed to ask more questions about what he knew about hacking.
Other former News International executives are already expecting to be called to give evidence to MPs in September.
Goodman is the only journalist so far to have been convicted of intercepting voice mail messages.
He was jailed for four months in January 2007 after pleading guilty to hacking phones.
News International said at the time that Goodman had acted alone and no other journalists were involved in hacking.
In early February of that year, Goodman was told he had been dismissed for gross misconduct, prompting his appeal to News International's director of human resources, dated 2 March.
The letter, published on the MPs' committee website, was copied to Les Hinton, News International's then executive chairman, and Stuart Kuttner, the then managing editor of the News of the World.
Appealing against his dismissal, Goodman wrote: "The decision is perverse in that the actions leading to this criminal charge were carried out with the full knowledge and support of [redacted] … payment for Glen Mulcaire's services was arranged by [redacted].
"The decision is inconsistent because [redacted] and other members of staff were carrying out the same illegal procedures.
"This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the Editor. As far as I am aware, no other member of staff has faced disciplinary action, much less dismissal."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14541848
Goodman wrote the letter to News International as he appealed against his dismissal in 2007, saying hacking was "widely discussed" at the paper and that he had been promised his job back if he did not implicate it in court.
In a separate move, the Commons culture committee may recall James Murdoch.
Committee chairman, Tory MP John Whittingdale, said that it might recall Mr Murdoch to give further evidence because it needed to ask more questions about what he knew about hacking.
Other former News International executives are already expecting to be called to give evidence to MPs in September.
Goodman is the only journalist so far to have been convicted of intercepting voice mail messages.
He was jailed for four months in January 2007 after pleading guilty to hacking phones.
News International said at the time that Goodman had acted alone and no other journalists were involved in hacking.
In early February of that year, Goodman was told he had been dismissed for gross misconduct, prompting his appeal to News International's director of human resources, dated 2 March.
The letter, published on the MPs' committee website, was copied to Les Hinton, News International's then executive chairman, and Stuart Kuttner, the then managing editor of the News of the World.
Appealing against his dismissal, Goodman wrote: "The decision is perverse in that the actions leading to this criminal charge were carried out with the full knowledge and support of [redacted] … payment for Glen Mulcaire's services was arranged by [redacted].
"The decision is inconsistent because [redacted] and other members of staff were carrying out the same illegal procedures.
"This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the Editor. As far as I am aware, no other member of staff has faced disciplinary action, much less dismissal."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14541848
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