finance newsbysector mediatechnologyandtelecoms media 8441497 ----- # Phone hacking scandal will not affect BSKYB take over ## The phone hacking scandal will have no impact on News Corporation's attempted takeover of satellite broadcaster BSkyB, a cabinet minister has said. ![Phone hacking scandal will not effect BSKYB take over][1] Phone hacking scandal will not effect BSKYB take over Photo: PA By [Steven Swinford][2] 7:00AM BST 11 Apr 2011 [Comments][3] Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, rejected calls to postpone any decision about the takeover until the end of a police inquiry into phone hacking at the News of the World, which is owned by News Corporation. He described the hacking "a very serious scandal" and said the police investigation "must go forward". He insisted, however, that the decision about the takeover was "completely separate." "It's outrageous that people have had their voicemails hacked into, seemingly a large number of people," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show. "That's not something that could be acceptable in any set of circumstances." The News of the World yesterday printed an apology to victims who have had their voicemail intercepted. The apology states: "Here today, we publicly and unreservedly apologise to all such individuals." It added that the hacking "should not have happened" and "was and remains unacceptable". ## Related Articles * [News of the World apology in full][4] 10 Apr 2011 * ['100 victims' of phone hacking][5] 09 Apr 2011 * [Q&A: News Corp bid for BSkyB][6] 04 Nov 2010 * [James Murdoch promoted to New York role][7] 30 Mar 2011 Boris Johnston, the Mayor of London, said that there should be a "truth and reconciliation commission" where editors could come forward and declare whether they know of phone hacking activities by their own staff. He said: "What I would like to see is the entire newspaper industry - what we used to call Fleet Street - have a general truth and reconciliation commission about all this. That's what we need to have. "I think all the editors and all the proprietors should come forward, put their hands up, and say whether they know of any of their reporters or employees who may or may not have been into these practises which have been exposed at the News of the World." The News of the World's owner has admitted there were at least eight victims and has put aside £20m for compensation. The paper said a number of individuals had brought breach of privacy claims against it over wrongful "voicemail interceptions" between 2004 and 2006, and others were threatening to do so. It's apology states: " "Evidence has recently come to light which supports some of these claims. We have written to relevant individuals to admit liability in these civil cases and to apologise unreservedly, and will do the same to any other individuals where evidence shows their claims to be justifiable. "We hope to be able to pay appropriate compensation to all these individuals, and have asked our lawyers to set up a compensation scheme to deal with genuine claims fairly and efficiently." News International is ready to settle claims with eight people, including former Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, her estranged husband, lawyer David Mills, designer Kelly Hoppen, sports broadcaster Andy Gray, and Joan Hammell, a former aide to ex-Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott.There are 24 active claims against the paper being heard by High Court judge Mr Justice Vos. Last week Neville Thurlbeck, the News of the World's chief reporter, and Ian Edmondson, a former assistant editor who was recently sacked over the affair, were questioned by police on suspicion of having unlawfully intercepted voicemail messages. They were subsequently released on bail until September. Mark Thomson, Sienna Miller's solicitor, said he expected "hundreds" of claimants to emerge following the apology by the News of the World. He said: "This is not a little error, this is systematic, deliberate surveillance on an enormous scale. It is an outrageous breach of privacy." [X][8] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz [What are these?][9] * Share: [Share][8] [ ][10] [ ][11] [Tweet][12] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/med ia/8441497/Phone-hacking-scandal-will-not-affect-BSKYB-take-over.html Telegraph ## [Media][13] * ### [News »][14] * ### [Media and Telecoms »][15] * ### [Steven Swinford »][16] In finance [![The top 10 biggest spending advertisers of 2010][17] ][18] ### [10 biggest spending advertisers of 2010][18] [![ITV's biggest hits in pictures][19] ][20] ### [ITV's biggest 2010 hits in pictures][20] [![Q&A: News Corp bid for BSkyB][21] ][6] ### [Q&A: News Corp bid for BSkyB][6] [![][22] ][23] ### [Hands v Wormsley: the lawyers, the laughs and those chocolate biscuits][23] [![Welcome to the information age ? 174 newspapers a day][24]][25] ### [Media & Publishing vacancies at Telegraph Jobs][25] [X][8] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz [What are these?][9] Share: * [ ][8] * [ ][10] * [ ][11] * [Tweet][12] * Advertisement ![][26] telegraphuk Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.][27] [blog comments powered by Disqus][28] Advertisement [Market Data »][29] Finance Most Viewed * TODAY * PAST WEEK * PAST MONTH 1. [Britain faces bleak two years after feeble economic growth][30] 2. [Look, even Sweden charges for healthcare][31] 3. [BMW blames speculators as aluminium costs rise][32] 4. [US consumers in spending retreat][33] 5. [Google sued by PayPal in Silicon Valley's mobile war][34] 1. [What happens when Greece defaults][35] 2. [Dominique Strauss-Kahn: DNA samples confirm sperm traces on maid's dress][36] 3. [It's ever more obvious, Greece must leave the euro][37] 4. [Dominique Strauss-Kahn: new claims of sexual misconduct add to pressure on former IMF chief][38] 5. [How the euro crisis end game might look][39] 1. [What happens when Greece defaults][35] 2. [Dominique Strauss-Kahn: IMF head 'hired prostitutes from Manhattan madam'][40] 3. [Dominique Strauss-Kahn: DNA samples confirm sperm traces on maid's dress][36] 4. [A tax-based alternative to the Alternative Vote][41] 5. [Dominique Strauss-Kahn: maid experienced 'extraordinary trauma'][42] Advertisement Classified Advertising * [Media Jobs][43] * [Travel][44] * [Culture][45] Loading [Find your ideal job with Telegraph Jobs][46] var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "671300"; var headline = "Head of IT Projects"; var description = "London On Application"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/671300/permanent/london/head-of-it-projects- job-vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=671300"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/logos/CD/BE/CD011517-97D0-4352-968B- C5E9ADCB88BE_140_87-v2.jpg"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "676648"; var headline = "Web Manager / Website Analyst - Optimisation / Analytics / Strategy"; var description = "Southampton, Hampshire £25000 - £35000"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/676648/permanent /southampton-hampshire/web-manager-website-analyst-optimisation-analytics- strategy-job-vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=676648"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/logos/6F/0E/6F2FB65C-3EC1-481F- 9F40-5CA67946880E_140_87-v2.jpg"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "671593"; var headline = "Account Sales Manager (Recruitment)"; var description = "Victoria £24000 - £25000"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/671593/permanent/victoria/account-sales- manager-recruitment-job-vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=671593"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/logos/0F/68/0FA4CE08-AFF2-4E4D-A808-31 F656B85068_140_87-v2.jpg"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "672395"; var headline = "PHP Developer, PHP Backend Programmer - OO PHP / Zend Geek!"; var description = "Chatham, Kent £30000 - £40000"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/672395/permanent/chatham-kent/php-developer- php-backend-programmer-oo-php-zend-geek~21-job- vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=672395"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/logos/6F/0E/6F2FB65C-3EC1-481F- 9F40-5CA67946880E_140_87-v2.jpg"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "670591"; var headline = "Regional Field Sales Manager - US Social Media Giant - Daily Deals"; var description = "Edinburgh £40000"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/670591/permanent/edinburgh/regional-field- sales-manager-us-social-media-giant-daily-deals-job- vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=670591"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/logos/6F/0E/6F2FB65C-3EC1-481F- 9F40-5CA67946880E_140_87-v2.jpg"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "666084"; var headline = "Digital Production Coordinator / Account Manager - Social Media Giant"; var description = "Central London / West End (W1) On Application"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/666084/permanent/central-london-west-end-w1 /digital-production-coordinator-account-manager-social-media-giant-job- vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=666084"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/logos/6F/0E/6F2FB65C-3EC1-481F- 9F40-5CA67946880E_140_87-v2.jpg"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "672202"; var headline = "Database / CRM Marketing Executive - FMCG Email Marketing (2950)"; var description = "Colchester, Essex On Application"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/672202/permanent/colchester-essex/database- crm-marketing-executive-fmcg-email-marketing-2950-job- vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=672202"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/_resx/images/TGJobs-logo_140x87-v2.gif"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "673740"; var headline = "Tooling Gauge Designer"; var description = "Cleveland, Ohio On Application"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/673740/contract /cleveland-ohio/tooling-gauge-designer-job- vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=673740"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/_resx/images/TGJobs-logo_140x87-v2.gif"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight}); var puffArray = eval('puffs_' + '8254872'); var guid = "673742"; var headline = "Bilingual Social Media Specialist"; var description = "Toronto, Ontario (ON) $45000"; var link = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/job/673742/permanent /toronto-ontario-on/bilingual-social-media-specialist-job- vacancy.aspx?FromRSSFeed=-1014&WT.ac=673742"; var imageUrl = "http://jobs.telegraph.co.uk/_resx/images/TGJobs-logo_140x87-v2.gif"; var adWeight = "1"; puffArray.push({'id':guid, 'headline':headline, 'bodyText':description, 'link':link, 'imageUrl':imageUrl, 'weight':adWeight});