Murdoch executives accused of telling lies to MPs

MPs have asked the Commons standards watchdog to examine claims that three News International executives lied to the committee probing the phone hacking scandal.

Former executive chairman Les Hinton, former News of the World editor Colin Myler and the paper’s ex-legal manager Tom Crone have been accused of misleading the culture, media and sport select committee.

The trio have denied the accusations, but the committee’s chairman said the claims were “very serious matters”.

The cross-party standards committee will now decide what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. The three could be summoned to parliament for a dressing down but MP Chris Bryant also suggested fines or imprisonment should be considered.