News International’s controversial decision to alter a critical letter submitted to a parliamentary inquiry was not directly demanded by the police, the Daily Telegraph can reveal.

The company has been accused of a cover-up after it gave MPs a significantly redacted version of a letter, written by Clive Goodman, the former royal editor at the News of the World.
The revelation came as David Cameron admitted he would not have employed Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, if he had “known then what I know now”. James Murdoch, the chairman of
News International, also faced calls to resign over the scandal.
The Goodman letter, sent four years ago, alleges that a secret deal was agreed in which he would keep his job if he did not “implicate” other members of the tabloid paper’s staff. He also alleged that editors at the tabloid, including Andy Coulson, supported phone hacking.
On Tuesday News International claimed that the document was altered at the request of Scotland Yard. However, their explanation came under scrutiny after a much fuller version of the same letter was released by law firm Harbottle & Lewis.

 

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