Paul Condon joined the police in 1967, becoming Chief Constable of Kent in 1988 and Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 1993, aged 45, the youngest person to do so at that time, before stepping down in 2000. Answered questions at the Inquiry on his corruption strategy during his time at the Met.
Editor of The Sunday Times from 1967 to 1981 and of The Times from 1981 to 1982, the period of the takeover of the papers by Rupert Murdoch's News International. Sir Harold resigned the editorship of The Times in 1982, claiming editorial interference from Murdoch, whom he described when editor as "evil incarnate". At the time of giving evidence, Sir Harold was continuing his career as a journalist and writer, primarily in North America. He said at the Inquiry that the political will for News International's takeover of the papers facilitated it happening, referencing a private meeting between then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Rupert Murdoch.
Retired High Court judge at time of Inquiry, who had specialised in intellectual property, copyright, privacy and defamation cases. A specialist adviser to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions, he advised the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee on its Report on Press Standards, Privacy and Libel. Sir Charles was also the founder of Early Resolution, an organisation set up to help litigants locked in libel disputes resolve differences quickly, fairly and at low cost. His Inquiry evidence on Early Resolution broadened into discussion of an Early Resolution model becoming the basis for a post-publication regulatory system with statutory foundation. Sir Charles also served as adjudicator in lawsuits against News Group Newspapers brought by people whose phones were hacked by the group.
Former English police officer and head of London's Metropolitan Police from 2011 to 2017. Hogan-Howe was knighted in the 2013 New Year’s Honours for his services to policing. Gave evidence on the Met’s relationship with the Press. Told the Inquiry of a “clear need to review existing procedures”.
Retired senior Scottish police officer, House was the first Chief Constable of Police Scotland, appointed October 2012. Awarded Queen's Police Medal in 2005 for distinguished service and knighted in 2013 for services to law and order. Gave evidence on procedures and relationship with the press in Strathclyde.
Born 1962. Deputy Commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police Service. Held senior roles within Cumbria, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Constabularies, as well as a specialist staff-officer role in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. He gave the inquiry his view on managing relations with the press in Cumbria. Mackey was awarded the Queen's Police Medal for distinguished service in 2009 and appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year’s Honours for services to Policing.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, following stints as Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Thatcher Government. Had retired from politics at time of giving evidence, having been MP for Huntingdon from 1979 to 2001. He told the Inquiry that in a private meeting before the 1997 general election, Rupert Murdoch had pressed for the Conservative Government to alter policy regarding the EU or risk losing the support of his papers. In the event, The Sun did back Labour in the 1997 election. While characterising the UK press as a whole as a "curate's egg", Major told the Inquiry he believed The Sun had "lowered the tone" of public life. He believed newspaper proprietors should be "personally liable" for articles in their newspapers, not able to "wash their hands" of alleged wrongdoing by individual reporters.
Chairman of Press Complaints Commission from 2003 to 2009. During a long diplomatic career preceding this role he was, notably, press secretary to then Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe (1984-1988), government spokesman and press secretary to then Prime Minister John Major (1994-1996) and British Ambassador to the United States (1997-2003). At the Inquiry, he stated his belief that "any state regulation of the press was, in principle, offensive" and a "slippery slope" that could lead to authoritarian governments eroding freedom of expression. He defended the record of the PCC under his chairmanship, including a 2007 report into phone hacking which found there was "no evidence" of widespread voicemail interception beyond Clive Goodman, the News of The World reporter jailed for this activity at the time.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary (May 2009 to July 2012) at the time of giving evidence; previously Chief Constable of Surrey Police (2000-2004) during the investigation into Milly Dowler's death in 2002. Sir Denis told the Inquiry that following an article in The Guardian in July 2009 alleging widespread phone hacking at the News of The World, he had recommended an "independent review" to the Home Office – but reported that there was "no appetite" for this from officials, including then Home Secretary Alan Johnson.
At the time of giving evidence, Sir Hugh was President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, representing the 44 police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. He retired from the role in 2015. Previously, he had served with Metropolitan Police Service, including taking part in the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. From 2002 to 2009, Sir Hugh was Chief Constable of the Police Service in Northern Ireland. His testimony included the reflection that he had found the Press Complaints Commission "powerless" in its handling of intrusions into his own private life by the press.
Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of giving evidence. He answered questions on DPP investigations into phone hacking which had resulted in the trial and prison sentences of Glenn Mulcaire and Clive Goodman. Starmer told the Inquiry that by 2011, after more press revelations from victims such as Sienna Miller and press stories about phone hacking (including in the New York Times) he knew there had to be a full review of all the material available. Starmer said that he had met with Assistant Commissioner John Yates to tell him that. Starmer became Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras in 2015 and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. He was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 2014 and sworn in as a Privy Councillor on 19 July 2017.
British civil servant and Permanent Secretary of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at the time of giving evidence. Appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath for public service in the 2013 Birthday Honours, in particular for his service relating to the Olympic Games in London. He was asked at the Inquiry about his Department's handling of the proposed bid by News Corporation for BskyB in 2012, and his own involvement in the appointment of special adviser Adam Smith, who enjoyed a close relationship with News Corporation.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner from 2009 to 2011. At the time of giving evidence, he had just formally resigned from that position. Questioned on the Met's hospitality rules, he told the Inquiry that he thought it important for police and press to have good relations. He was asked particularly about the hospitality he had accepted from Stephen Purdew, the owner of Champneys health spa, where Sir Paul had had an extensive programme of physiotherapy. He was also asked about his connection with Neil Wallis, Executive Editor of the News of the World from 2007 to 2009, who worked as a PR for Champneys. Wallis was later arrested as part of Operation Weeting but was cleared of all charges brought against him.
In 2012, as Treasury Solicitor, the Government's principal legal official, he gave written evidence to the Inquiry. At the time of News Corporation's BskyB bid, Sir Paul's advice had been sought on comments made about the bid by Vince Cable, the then Secretary of State for Business. Sir Paul told the Leveson Inquiry that he had informed the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, that in his view Cable's comments could put his impartiality in question and that Cable's duties in the matter should therefore be transferred to another Secretary of State. Sir Paul died in February 2018.
Born 1969. British news editor, producer and media executive. Former director of BBC World News Limited and Director of Communications for British Prime Minister David Cameron. Oliver was knighted in the 2016 Resignation Honours after Cameron stepped down as Prime Minister in the wake of the European Union membership referendum. Oliver answered questions from the Inquiry about the process of his appointment and changes he had made from the time of his predecessor Andy Coulson, as well as on meetings with Rupert Murdoch, Rebekah Brooks and other representatives of News International.
British lawyer, judge and academic. Sir Stephen was appointed a High Court judge in 1992, serving in the Queen's Bench Division. In 1999 he was appointed to the Court of Appeal as a Lord Justice of Appeal. In written evidence, he told the Inquiry that Britain could boast some of the best investigative journalism in the world and also some of the most intrusive and foul-mouthed newspapers in the world. He proposed for consideration a statutory printed-media regulator governed by Parliament and designed to be inquisitorial rather than adversarial. There was now, he said, a powerful case for regulation and that litigation and self-regulation were not working.
