'Murdoch should face House over phone-hacking charges'

LONDON (AP):

British legislators authorised a sweeping inquiry yesterday into illicit snooping on politicians and celebrities by tabloids, as one lawmaker called for media tycoon Rupert Murdoch to testify over allegations one of his newspapers illegally hacked into cellphones.

Tom Watson, a former Cabinet office minister and opposition Labour party lawmaker, said Murdoch, the chief executive officer of News Corp, should be asked to explain the actions of reporters and editors at News of The World, the weekly tabloid owned by his company.

Lawmakers agreed that Parlia-ment's Standards and Privileges committee would hold hearings into claims that illegal methods to gather personal information on high-profile figures have been used throughout the British media.

It follows new allegations aired about tactics used at the News of the World, claims which have brought into question the position of the newspaper's ex-editor Andy Coulson, now Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director.

Coulson quit in 2007 after his royal reporter and a private investigator were convicted of hacking phone voicemail messages left for royal officials, including some from Princes William and Harry.

Legislators said Britain's information commissioner had previously raised concerns about the use of illegal methods to obtain personal information. Watson told a House of Common debate that "the evidence of endemic abuse is growing by the day" and called for senior newspaper executives to testify to Parliament.

"I doubt that Rupert Murdoch knows about these indiscretions, but he is responsible for appointing people to positions of great power who should, and for that reason he too should explain his actions to the committee," Watson said.

Tensions between lawmakers and Britain's media have run high since last summer's expense-cheque scandal, when newspapers disclosed legislators' often outrageous claims for public funds. Several politicians are facing criminal charges as a result.