Murdoch forced to eat humble pie

IT WAS “the most humble day” of Rupert Murdoch’s career – even before he was pelted with a custard pie.

The 80-year-old media mogul was forced to admit he had been let down by people he trusted and to face a barrage of questions from MPs about the phone-hacking scandal which has rocked his empire.

But one person who did not let him down was his third wife Wendi Deng, who sprang to his defence when a comedian managed to evade tight security and attack him.

The bizarre episode came towards the end of a hearing in which Murdoch and his son James were called to account by the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Casualties at Murdoch’s company have mounted as top aides fell on their swords in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal, which also saw the closure of the News of the World.

But Murdoch declared that he would not be following them.

Asked by Tory MP Louise Mensch whether he would resign, he replied: “No, because I feel that the people I trusted, I don’t know at what level, let me down and I think they behaved disgracefully, betrayed the company and me and it’s for them to pay.

“I think that frankly I’m the best person to clear this up.”

Murdoch admitted mistakes were made over the phone-hacking scandal as he repeatedly apologised and declared: “This is the most humble day of my life.”

His son James, News Corp’s deputy chief operating officer, opened the hearing by saying how sorry he and his father were to the victims in the phone-hacking scandal.

“It is a matter of great regret of mine, my father’s and everyone at News Corporation. These actions do not live up to the standards our company aspires to everywhere around the world,” he said.

“It is our determination both to put things right, make sure these things don’t happen again, and to be the company that I know we have always aspired to be.”

James Murdoch told the committee the company acted “swiftly” as soon as it became aware of fresh evidence over phone hacking following a series of civil actions in 2010, particularly the case involving actress Sienna Miller.

It became apparent that more people than originally believed were victims of the practice, he added.

He also said a law firm used by the Royal Family led News International to believe phone-hacking was a “matter of the past”.

Harbottle & Lewis was hired by the company to defend a claim by News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman for unfair dismissal

The political fallout continued as the Conservative Party revealed that suspect Neil Wallis may have provided “informal advice” to David Cameron’s communications chief Andy Coulson before the general election.

A spokesman insisted Wallis was never employed by the Conservative Party.

The spokesman said: “There have been some questions about whether the Conservative Party employed Neil Wallis.

“We have double-checked our records and are able to confirm that neither Neil Wallis nor his company has ever been contracted by the Conservative Party.

“He may have provided Andy Coulson with some informal advice on a voluntary basis before the election.”