26 April 2012updated 26 Sep 2015 7:31pm

Murdoch admits: there was a “cover-up”

News Corp head admits News of the World disguised phone-hacking.

An increasingly foul-tempered Rupert Murdoch has made several revelations during his testimony to the Leveson inquiry. But one, more than any other, stands out: his admission, for the first time, that the News of the World did “cover-up” phone hacking.

Here’s that quote in full:

I do blame one or two people for that who perhaps I shouldn’t name for all I know they may be arrested. There is no question in my mind maybe even the editor, but certainly beyond that someone, took charge of a cover-up which we were victim to and I regret.

Pressed by Robert Jay, QC, to say from where the “culture of cover-up” emanated, Murdoch answered: “the person I’m thinking of was a friend of the journalists, a drinking pal and a clever lawyer.

“And this person forbade people to go and report to Mrs Brooks or to James. That is not to excuse it on our behalf at all. I take it extremely seriously that that situation had arisen.”