Murdoch insists he was not told about hacking

James Murdoch insisted today that he was not made aware of the extent of phone hacking at the News of the World as long ago as 2008.

Appearing before the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee for the second time, News International’s executive chairman rejected claims made by the paper’s former editor Colin Myler and legal manager Tom Crone.

He told the committee that when they met to discuss the settlement of a legal claim in June 2008, they did not make him aware of the contents of the so-called “For Neville” email indicating the wider extent of phone hacking at the paper.

“The nature of the so-called ’For Neville’ email... any wider spread or evidence or suspicion of wider spread of wrongdoing – none of these things were mentioned to me,” he said.