Murdoch does not interfere, insists editor of The Times

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. When they did discuss the news, Mr Mockridge said his boss was interested in a broad range of issues about "what is current in British society" – including phone hacking and the Leveson Inquiry itself. John Witherow, one of the Murdoch empire's longest-serving editors, heading The Sunday Times since 1995, was asked by the inquiry's counsel, Robert Jay QC, what influence Mr Murdoch had over his paper. He told the inquiry: "News International thought it could get away with whatever it liked, because the Murdoch family was deeply embedded in our political top class." He said that if the Prime Minister employs former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, left, as his communications director, "News International will think 'We are top of the world, nothing can stop us'."