Monthly Archives: July 2011

Former News International employee Robert Fisk told readers of The Independent yesterday how he saw the rot at the heart of Murdoch empire early on. The final straw came when the US shot down an Iranian passenger jet over the Gulf in 1988, initially spun as a suicide crash by the pilot.

Next day, my report appeared with all criticism of the Americans deleted, with all my sources ignored. The Times even carried an editorial suggesting the pilot was indeed a suicider. A subsequent US official report and accounts by US naval officers subsequently proved my dispatch correct. Except that Times readers were not allowed to see it. This was when I first made contact with The Independent. I didn’t believe in The Times any more – certainly not in Rupert Murdoch.

Which prompted the following from Catherine Philp, foreign correspondent of The Times. Her expertise is conflict.

Catherine Philp on Twitter

Robert Fisk:Why I had To Leave The Times (Independent)

Gordon and Sarah Brown with their son Fraser
Screenshot from The Sun website in October 2006

The most emotive allegations about Mr Brown related to his son’s illness. When Mrs Brooks called Mr Brown in October 2006, he and his wife had only recently learned of his son’s condition, which often leads to a shortened lifespan.

Mr and Mrs Brown were understood to have been “extremely distressed” when, days later, The Sun broke the story on its website. Fraser’s illness became front-page news across Fleet Street.

Some accounts yesterday suggested that The Sun had obtained the information by getting access to the medical records of Fraser, who is five years old next week.

As Gordon And Sarah Brown Learnt Of Son’s Illness, The Sun Editor Rebekah Brooks Called To Say She Knew (James Kirkup, Telegraph)

News International Papers Targeted Brown (Nick Davies, David Leigh, Guardian)