John Ward July 15, 2011 Newscorp implosion

US HACKGATE CONTAGION: Now Les Hinton resigns

HHinton (l) and Murdoch

Les Hinton, lifetime ally and confidante of Rupert Murdoch, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal and the CEO of Dow Jones, has resigned.

Hinton headed Rupert Murdoch’s UK News International from 1995 to 2007— the period in which employees illegally hacked into thousands of peoples’ voicemails. He has been close to Murdoch for 52 years, since he was 15 years old. His departure came on the same day that the current head of News International, Rebekah Brooks, also resigned, and leaves Murdoch’s son, James, as the last remaining recent head of the UK division not to have stepped down. Just fancy that.

During two separate appearances before Parliamentary committees, Hinton testifedthat he was “absolutely convinced” that the one reporter Clive Goodman in News International was responsible for hacking. His resignation was predicted by The Slog earlier this week.

9Comments

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1

John Ward on July 16, 2011 at 5:06 pm

Liz and James don’t get on. He’s a prat, and she isn’t.

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2

Nhoj on July 16, 2011 at 2:40 pm

Thanks for that!
I reckon the best bet is say nothing and act dumb – just like Coulson

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3

Bankrupt Taxpayer on July 16, 2011 at 12:18 pm

After 13 years of socialist New/Old Labour in governemnt and a politicised police force hell-bent on running a fascist police state, you can commit an offence by doing virtually anything these days.
That is no accident but quite intentional under socialist govts.
In this case, I’d claim ignorance in the very unlikely event that you are apprehended.

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4

Julian on July 16, 2011 at 12:04 pm

Question is – does she have form (points) and will she ask you to do a Huhne for her?

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5

saucyboy on July 16, 2011 at 10:49 am

It depends on who hears the case if it makes it to court, and what mood they’re in, so you would normally get a different result every time. The likely is that the police have got bigger fish to fry other than who used the telephone while driving, especially if they had to prove that it was actually your wife which could be difficult.
Your boss can be a tiger if she wants so keep it under your belt son.

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6

Richard G on July 16, 2011 at 10:05 am

We only have your word that it did or didn’t happen and no actual evidence.

Perhaps more importantly as in most cases the cost element is cited under a disguised “public interest” and nothing happens

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7

Nhoj on July 16, 2011 at 9:39 am

A Crime or what?
Can one of you legal buffs help me out?

Today I was travelling along in my car when my wife, who was driving, answered the mobile phone. She committed a crime.
  1. If I fail to inform the police of this crime, have I committed an offence?
  2. As the phone is in my name and I pay the monthly bill – which I later claim on expenses, have I committed a further offence?
  3. If I later inform my boss of my worries regards these offences is it likely that she also has committed an offence. After all she did sign off my phone expense request.
  4. What about all the other people at the pub who heard the sorry tale?

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8

oldasiahand on July 16, 2011 at 8:57 am

B SkyB may well be worth £9 but the buyer darn well better be British. As Lord Foster said yesterday in the House of Lords removing the restriction and permitting controlling foreign ownership of broadcast media in 2002 (presumably at Murdoch’s insistence) was a mistake that needs rectification.

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9

william, on July 15, 2011 at 9:19 pm

Bye bye,Les ,after a period of reflection , it will be James next,and the Family relocating to the Bahamas.When Liz shafted Rebecca,did she not realise she was ridiculing her own brother?And when James bows to the inevitable,what will the market say about the old man?And the non execs, what did they know,fiduciary duty,law suits,where does this end?Corporate break up, well BSkyB is still going to be worth £9 to somebody in the next 2 years.

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