The former legal chief of News Group Newspapers today told MPs he was “certain” he told James Murdoch about an explosive email which proved that knowledge of phone-hacking was more widespread at the News of the World than the company had claimed.

Former British deputy prime minister John Prescott today sought to gain access to “sealed” evidence relating to allegations of phone hacking by the News of the World.

News of the World parent company News International has said allegations that police officers found evidence that the newspaper hacked into "thousands" of mobile phones are "untrue".