Judge leading phone hacking inquiry is urged by MP to 'come clean' about links to Murdoch family

[JohnyCanuck]

The judge leading the inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal was last night urged to 'come clean' about his links to the Murdoch family.

Lord Justice Leveson was facing questions over his impartiality after it emerged he attended two parties in the past year at the London home of Rupert Murdoch's daughter, Elisabeth, and her husband, PR supremo Matthew Freud.

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Labour MP Chris Bryant last night said the revelations raised 'serious questions' about whether Lord Justice Leveson would be able to command public confidence in his role as head of the inquiry, which is likely to take evidence from Mr Murdoch and his son James.

Lord Justice Leveson is believed to have informed David Cameron of his social links to Mr Freud before he was appointed to lead the inquiry.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2018405/Rupert-Murdoch-scandal-Phone-hacking-inquiry-judge-urged-come-clean.html#ixzz1T7wwifMR

[dipsydoodle]

1. This was cleared up to some extent on Saturday

Meanwhile, the BBC's Robin Brant said that Lord Leveson had made the disclosure about his connection to the Murdoch family to both David Cameron and the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, before he was chosen last week as the man to lead the judicial inquiry into phone hacking.

The senior judge met with Matthew Freud, who is married to Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth, at functions while he was chairman of the sentencing council, which advises the government on sentencing policy.

Downing Street said Lord Leveson attended the events organised by Mr Freud in his capacity as sentencing council chair, and "nothing more".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14259180