MP claims Blair and Middleton victims of hacking

SCOTLAND Yard could widen its investigation into hacking amid claims Tony Blair and Kate Middleton have been victims.

The force said it had received allegations of privacy breaches which fall outside of its ongoing probe into claims that staff at the News of the World hacked into the messages of celebrities, politicians and royals.

It came as the House of Commons heard claims the former prime minister was targeted by private detective Jonathan Rees.

Labour’s Tom Watson told MPs: “The convicted private investigator Jonathan Rees, a contractor to News International, targeted former prime minister Tony Blair for covert surveillance, and at least one former home secretary.”

He also told David Cameron that members of the royal family may have been subjected to hacking by Rees. “The Metropolitan Police are in possession of paperwork detailing the dealings of criminal private investigator Jonathan Rees.

“It strongly suggests that, on behalf of News International, he was illegally targeting members of the royal family, senior politicians and high-level terrorist informers, yet the head of Operation Weeting [Scotland Yard’s codename for its probe into phone hacking] has recently written to me to explain that this evidence may be outside the inquiry’s terms of reference.

“I believe powerful forces are involved in a cover-up.”

Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and former home secretary Jack Straw are said to have been victims of hacking, The Guardian claimed.

And Middleton was also said to have been targeted before she married Prince William, it said.

A Met police spokesman said: “(We) can confirm that since January 2011 the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) has received a number of allegations regarding breach of privacy which fall outside the remit of Operation Weeting.

“These allegations are currently being considered.”

News of the World owner, News International, rejected Watson’s claims. A spokesman said: “It is well documented that Jonathan Rees and Southern Investigations worked for a whole variety of newspaper groups.

“With regards to Tom Watson’s specific allegations, we believe these are wholly inaccurate.

“The Met Police, with whom we are co-operating fully in Operation Weeting, have not asked us for any information regarding Jonathan Rees.

Three News of the World journalists have been arrested since the Met reopened its inquiry into claims that staff hacked into the answerphone messages of celebrities and politicians. An original phone-hacking inquiry led to the conviction of News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire in 2007. Former editor Andy Coulson, resigned as Cameron’s director of communications in January.

Actress Sienna Miller was this week awarded £100,000 (€112,700) damages at London’s High Court after bringing a privacy and harassment claim in connection with the phone-hacking action.