Phone hacking trial: Tony Blair told Rebekah Brooks to 'tough up' , court hears

 
Rebekah Brooks: denies all charges in the phone hacking trial
epa04087508 Former Chief Executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks arrives at the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court in central London, Britain, 19 February 2014. Brooks and former News of the World editor Andy Coulson are among eight people who are
20 February 2014
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Tony Blair offered to act as an “unofficial adviser” to Rebekah Brooks just six days before her arrest in the phone hacking scandal and urged her to “tough up”, the Old Bailey heard today.

He said she should commission a “Hutton-style report” when she sought his guidance as the crisis engulfed the News of the World, the jury was told.

Brooks, then chief executive of News International, said she spent an hour on the phone to Mr Blair in July 2011. She said he offered to give advice to her and James and Rupert Murdoch, the court heard.

Brooks went on to say that Mr Blair advised her to “tough up, it will pass” and to take sleeping tablets to make sure of having a clear head.

Brooks claimed that he advised her to use the services of former director of public prosecutions Ken Macdonald for an investigation and report. Mr Blair had appointed Lord Hutton to chair an inquiry into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly.

Hutton’s report went on to clear the then prime minister of any responsibility for the death and allegations of misleading the country over the Iraq war and the so-called “dodgy dossier”.

Their phone discussion is revealed in an email she sent to her boss James Murdoch which was read to the jury today. It was sent on July 11, 2011, the day after the last edition of the News of the World, which was closed in the wake of the scandal. It was four days before she resigned from News International and six days before she was arrested.

She starts off by saying that sales figures appear to show four million copies were sold of the NoW and adds “so much for a sales boycott”.

James Murdoch replies: “What are you doing on email?”

In response Brooks says “I had an hour on the phone with Tony Blair” and summarises, in rough terms, his advice.

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“1. Form an independent unit that has an outside junior counsel, Ken Macdonald, a great and good type, a serious forensic criminal barrister, internal counsel, proper fact checkers etc in it. Get them to investigate me and others and publish a Hutton-style report.

“2. Publish part of the report at the same time as the police closes its inquiry and clear you and accept shortcomings and new solutions and process and part two when any trials are over.

“3. Keep strong and definitely sleeping pills. Need to have clear heads and remember no rash short-term solutions as they will give you long term headaches.

“4. It will pass. Tough up.

“5. He is available for you, KRM (Rupert Murdoch) and me as an unofficial advisor but needs to be between us. He is sending more notes later.”

Brooks was editor of the NoW and The Sun before becoming chief executive of the newspapers’ parent company. She and former NoW editor Andy Coulson are both accused of conspiracy to intercept voicemail communications between October 2000 and August 2006.

Brooks is also charged with two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office, the first between January 2004 and January 2012 and the second between February 2006 and October 2008, linked to alleged payments by The Sun to public officials.

She faces another two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice — one with her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter and the second with her husband Charlie and former head of security at NI Mark Hanna.

Coulson, who left the NoW and became David Cameron’s director of communications, is also facing two allegations that he conspired with others to commit misconduct in public office— one between August 2002 and January 2003; and the other between January and June 2005.

All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The case continues.

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