FM defender in chief of News Corp

Commenting after asking the First Minister if he regretted sticking up for News Corp and Rupert Murdoch in an article he wrote for the first edition of the Sun on Sunday, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie MSP said:

“It is astonishing that, even having had time to consider his position, Mr Salmond again chose to downplay the role of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp in the phone hacking scandal.

“His article for the Sun on Sunday was ill judged but now the First Minister is fast becoming Murdoch’s Defender in Chief.

“It is important to remember the impact of the phone hacking that the First Minister is now seeking to downplay.

“The hacking of Milly Dowler’s phone, the phones of 7/7 victims and of families of soldiers who have lost their lives defending our country were all despicable acts.

“All carried out by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, a company which Alex Salmond continues to defend.

“Mr Salmond should be ashamed of himself. In seeking to spread the blame to other news organisations he forgets the wide-ranging role Mr Murdoch’s company played in the whole sorry saga.

“It is beyond belief just how far Mr Salmond is willing to go to keep billionaire buddies on side.”