UPDATE 17/10/12: Rupert Murdoch’s original tweet has made news internationally, prompting him to tweet asking for a correction and apology – “Typical ABC in Oz. alleged I called hacking victims “scumbags. Direct lie. Major correction and apology please.” Murdoch still hasn’t withdrawn or apologised for his earlier tweet directed at Charlotte Church and Jacqui Hames.
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On Wednesday 10th October singer Charlotte Church and police officer Jacqui Hames met with David Cameron. Alongside a contingent from the Hacked Off board, they talked to the PM about their experience of press abuse and sought reassurance that he would keep an open mind about press reform until Lord Justice Levson reports.
On Saturday 13th October Rupert Murdoch tweeted “Told UK’s Cameron receiving scumbag celebrities pushing for even more privacy laws. Trust the toffs! Transparency under attack. Bad.”
Charlotte Church was just sixteen when her phone, along with those of her mother and step-father, were hacked by the News of the World. Charlotte has said that the paper published 33 hacking-based stories about her in four years, one of which lead to her mother attempting to take her own life. Charlotte has also described being chased down a street by photographers.
Jacqui Hames’ husband David Cook fronted an appeal on Crimewatch to catch the killer of private investigator Daniel Morgan. Following the programme the couple were put under surveillance by News International. They were watched dropping their children off at school, their mail was tampered with, their phones were hacked, access to employers’ personnel files was attempted and details of their bank accounts were sought.
Rupert Murdoch is the founder and Chairman and CEO of News Corporation, which includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, the Sun and the Times. On 19 July 2011 Rupert Murdoch apologised to MPs for the phone hacking scandal saying it was “the most humble day of my life”.
Despite requests from both Jacqui, Charlotte and members of the public on Twitter, Rupert Murdoch is yet to apologise or withdraw his ‘scumbag celebrity’ comment.