Independent UK: Hacking scandal: is this Britain's Watergate?

[marmar]

Hacking scandal: is this Britain's Watergate?

By Oliver Wright, Ian Burrell, Martin Hickman, Cahal Milmo and Andrew Grice
Saturday, 9 July 2011


David Cameron was forced to cut Rupert Murdoch and his newspaper empire loose from the heart of government yesterday as he tried to deflect public anger about his failure to tackle the phone-hacking scandal.

Mr Cameron turned on Mr Murdoch's son James, saying there were questions "that need to be answered" about his role during the phone-hacking cover-up, and criticising him for not accepting the resignation of News International's chief executive Rebekah Brooks.

He also admitted that his desire to win support from the company's newspapers had led him to turn "a blind eye" as evidence grew of widespread illegality at the News of the World.

With a newspaper closed, five arrests and more to follow, 4,000 possible victims, a media empire shaken to its foundations and the Prime Minister reeling, the escalating scandal has become a controversy comparable to the US Watergate saga, with ramifications for Downing Street, the media and police. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/hacking-scandal-is-this-britains-watergate-2309487.html