There is no way Murdoch’s 2004-6 inclusion zone will hold.

Whittamore files show Royals were being hacked long before 2004

From several sources last night, The Slog established the new Murdoch inclusion zone on reality: it all happened at the NotW, it all happened in 2004-6, and Rebekah Brooks knew nothing about it. Success with this one, the Wapping Fibs reckon, means they can continue to mount a credible bid to retain clearance to buy the main competitor to the BBC.

Watching Newscorp’s case crumble bit by bit is like watching the EU bailout fiasco: every stage is the last stage, there’s not more to come out, no really – there isn’t. And then oh look….there is.

This latest ‘defence’ seems to have lasted about 48 hours, after which the Independent on Sunday ran the Yorks-hack story (relating to The Sun and 2009). Much jumping up and down by Newscorp lawyers, but now today the Independent’s daily title has hit back with Chris Bryant MP, on the record, saying he can prove he was hacked in 2003. Bryant tells the readers this morning, “I have issued proceedings against the News of the World for damages arising from hacking which we claim took place in 2003. I have been shown evidence which contains material relating to friends, my family and political colleagues.”

And of course, last week The Slog’s research showed quite clearly that convicted hacker Steve Whittamore addressed every last one of his  invoices as a ’round-robin’ to all the UK titles owned by Newscorp. Not only that, but one invoice is clearly marked ‘From parents at Treetops, 99-01’.

Much of this once again points the fickle finger of fate at Andy Coulson – editor of the News of the World from January 2003. It seems that police sources have now confirmed they will question Rebekah Brooks. Isn’t it about time they got round to Andy as well?