BRITISH legislators authorized a sweeping inquiry yesterday into illicit snooping on politicians and celebrities by tabloids, with one politician calling for media tycoon Rupert Murdoch to testify over allegations one of his newspapers illegally hacked into cell phones.
Tom Watson, a former Cabinet Office minister and opposition Labour Party member, said Murdoch, chief executive of News Corp, should be asked to explain the actions of reporters and editors at the News of the World, the weekly tabloid owned by his company.
Politicians agreed that the UK parliament's standards and privileges committee would hold hearings into claims that illegal methods to gather personal information on high-profile figures have been used throughout the British media.
It follows new allegations about tactics used at the News of the World - claims which have brought into question the position of the newspaper's ex-editor Andy Coulson, now Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director. Coulson quit in 2007 after his royal reporter and a private investigator were convicted of hacking into phone messages left for royal officials, including some from princes William and Harry.
Tom Watson, a former Cabinet Office minister and opposition Labour Party member, said Murdoch, chief executive of News Corp, should be asked to explain the actions of reporters and editors at the News of the World, the weekly tabloid owned by his company.
Politicians agreed that the UK parliament's standards and privileges committee would hold hearings into claims that illegal methods to gather personal information on high-profile figures have been used throughout the British media.
It follows new allegations about tactics used at the News of the World - claims which have brought into question the position of the newspaper's ex-editor Andy Coulson, now Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director. Coulson quit in 2007 after his royal reporter and a private investigator were convicted of hacking into phone messages left for royal officials, including some from princes William and Harry.
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