Sun editor among three hacking probe arrests

British police arrested three people including the royal editor of The Sun yesterday, a source said, in an escalation of the long-running phone hacking scandal.

The arrests and the fact they stemmed from information given to the police by Rupert Murdoch’s company itself is likely to reignite tensions within the media group, just days before parliament gives its verdict on how the cult-ure of illegality came about.

Next week Rupert Murdoch and his son, James, will appear before a judicial inquiry to answer questions over the conduct of the press, which will focus on the close ties between Murdoch, his executives, and the political establishment.