Rupert Murdoch hits back over ‘partisan’ hacking report

RUPERT Murdoch has hit back after MPs branded him unfit to be in charge of a major media firm.

In a statement, News Corporation condemned the report by the Commons Culture Committee as “unjustified and highly partisan”.

The highly contentious investigation into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal split the committee on party lines.

While members agreed unanimously that Rupert Murdoch’s media empire had misled their inquiry in a “blatant fashion”, Tory MPs refused to support the report after Labour and the sole Liberal Democrat pushed through the criticism of Rupert Murdoch by six votes to four.

The committee was also split over findings that James Murdoch had shown “wilful ignorance”.

Labour MP Tom Watson, who tabled the amendment, said he was disappointed that the Conservatives had been unwilling to sign up.

“These people corrupted our country. They brought shame on our police force and our Parliament. They lied, they cheated, blackmailed and bullied and we should all be ashamed when we think how we cowered before them for too long,” he said.

But Conservative Louise Mensch said Mr Watson’s insistence on inserting a conclusion that was “wildly outside the scope” of the inquiry had undermined the report’s credibility.

Responding to the findings, News Corp admitted that the committee had highlighted “hard truths” and “serious wrongdoing” at the News of the World.

“News Corporation regrets, however, that the Select Committee’s analysis of the factual record was followed by some commentary that we, and indeed several members of the committee, consider unjustified and highly partisan,” the statement went on.