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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2012/may/10/leveson-inquiry-andy-coulson-viscount-rothermere-live
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| Leveson inquiry: Andy Coulson, Viscount Rothermere - live | Leveson inquiry: Andy Coulson, Viscount Rothermere - live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.29am: Rothermere is asked about the resignation of Peter Wright as editor of the Mail on Sunday. | |
| Paul Dacre felt Wright should make way for a younger editor, says Rothermere, adding there were some personal reasons. | |
| He adds: | |
| I think Paul [Dacre] felt Mr Wright should make way for a younger, newer editor for various reasons, some personal which I don't wish to go into. Paul wanted to retain Peter's great skill as a journalist to help him navigate a path through appropriate and ethical conduct. | |
| 10.25am: Rothermere is asked about Rupert Murdoch's comment that Mail Online is a gossip site that steals content from other sites. | |
| "Certainly, Mail Online glories in the fact that it isn't just a newspaper online," Rothermere says. | |
| Jay asks if Mail Online pilfers material from other sites. | |
| "I don't get involved in that level of executive control," Rothermere says. | |
| Asked about Mail Online as a business, Rothermere says if the company did not invest so much of its revenue in expanding the business the website would already be profitable. | |
| In his witness statement, Rothermere says he allows his editors to make decisions without regard to commercial considerations. Asked by Jay, he describes those considerations as "advertisers, sometimes they threaten to pull advertising". | |
| 10.23am: Rothermere is asked whether he believes the Daily Mail has ever gone too far. | |
| "Sometimes we have breached or appeared to breach and made apologies. I regret those instances," he replies. | |
| Rothermere says he can see why people feel an inquiry into the ethics of the press is necessary. | |
| "Some elements of our industry have not necessarily acted in the right way, apparently, so it is probably worthy of review," he says, adding that he is confident the Daily Mail has acted ethically. "And I am willing to stand up for us." | |
| 10.18am: Lord Justice Leveson asks whether politicians know they can meet Rothermere if they believe they are being treated unfairly by the Daily Mail. | |
| Rothermere says by and large he will refer politicians' complaints to Paul Dacre, editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail. On occasion, Rothermere will ask Dacre to look into a specific complaint and make contact with the politician in question. | |
| He says: | |
| Largely I refer them back to Paul Dacre. If there's an instance I feel justify merit I may bring that up with Paul and suggest he talk to the politician. I won't get involved on a level of opinion but if someone comes to me and says 'your newspaper has printed an untruth' I will say to Paul 'This person has written a letter – would you look into it?' They will either talk to the politician directly or write back to me and say there is no truth in it. Sometimes people have a different opinion of truth ... I don't want to get in a position of constantly having to deal with this issue. | |
| 10.16am: Jay asks if Rothermere is apolitical. | |
| Rothermere has been a cross-bench peer in the House of Lords. He says it is important for him not to show political preference and, therefore, lean on his editors through inference. | |
| I think it's very important in my role not to exhibit partisan political [viewers] ... puts undue pressure on my editors to support a view they think i might have. I don't want to influence them by inference. | |
| He adds: "At times inevitably the paper will do things that makes one feel uncomfortable. At that point it stretches the notion of what I have just said." | |
| Rothermere says he tries to keep his feelings to himself, even if he believes people are being treated unfairly in his newspapers. | |
| 10.16am: Rothermere says his family has "a fundamental belief" in the editors and entrepreneurs who run their newspapers, including the Daily Mail and Metro. | |
| "We think this is a differentiator," he adds, pointing out that these are the principles of Lord Northcliffe. | |
| 10.08am: Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, is questioning Rothermere. | |
| He asks Rothermere about the success of the Daily Mail and Mail Online. | |
| Rothermere believes the Daily Mail has been "built on solid ground" and a unique place in the market. | |
| It is built on firm ground with loyal readership – people are prepared to pay a cover price which generates 60% of our revenue. | |
| Jay asks why Rothermere is proud of Mail Online. | |
| Rothermere says: "It has a global footprint, one of the most looked at newspaper sites in the world ... built on a fundamental belief in a trust in journalism as opposed to technology. That's what makes me proud." | |
| 10.07am: Viscount Rothermere has taken the stand. | |
| Here is a profile of the Daily Mail proprietor. | |
| 10.05am: Lord Justice Leveson says he has used section 21 of the Inquiries Act to "interpose" – or summon – the editor of the Independent on Sunday, John Mullin, after it published an article based on material in Andy Coulson's witness statement. | |
| He is the first national newspaper editor to be summoned in this way. | |
| 9.56am: Viscount Rothermere, proprietor of the Daily Mail, is expected to be today's first witness. | |
| In a rare public appearance on behalf of his company, Rothermere told a parliamentary committee in December that he felt "personal concern" at the Daily Mail's coverage of Madeleine McCann's disappearance in 2007. | |
| Rothermere told the committee it was his duty to "fiercely protect" the editors of his newspapers and that he had not admonished Paul Dacre for the Mail's Madeleine McCann coverage, despite the title being sued for libel by Kate and Gerry McCann. | |
| 9.41am: Andy Coulson is to give evidence this afternoon, reports the Guardian's Dan Sabbagh. | 9.41am: Andy Coulson is to give evidence this afternoon, reports the Guardian's Dan Sabbagh. |
| Leveson timetable today: Rothermere on this morning. Then Robert Jay on press and politicians. PM - Andy Coulson. Keep your diaries clear. | Leveson timetable today: Rothermere on this morning. Then Robert Jay on press and politicians. PM - Andy Coulson. Keep your diaries clear. |
| — Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) May 10, 2012 | — Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) May 10, 2012 |
| Gossip amongst the snappers is that Coulson has already taken the train this am; left home at 8.30am. Speculation about his likely route. | Gossip amongst the snappers is that Coulson has already taken the train this am; left home at 8.30am. Speculation about his likely route. |
| — Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) May 10, 2012 | — Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) May 10, 2012 |
| 9.38am: David Cameron's own constituents believe he is too close to Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation executives, according to a ComRes poll carried out for the Independent. | 9.38am: David Cameron's own constituents believe he is too close to Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation executives, according to a ComRes poll carried out for the Independent. |
| The ComRes poll of 500 people in the prime minister's Witney constituency in Oxfordshire found that 49% believe Cameron is too close to the media empire, while 35% disagree. | The ComRes poll of 500 people in the prime minister's Witney constituency in Oxfordshire found that 49% believe Cameron is too close to the media empire, while 35% disagree. |
| The poll will make uncomfortable reading for No 10, which is bracing itself for potentially damaging revelations from the evidence of Andy Coulson today and Rebekah Brooks tomorrow. | The poll will make uncomfortable reading for No 10, which is bracing itself for potentially damaging revelations from the evidence of Andy Coulson today and Rebekah Brooks tomorrow. |
| You can read the full Independent report here. | You can read the full Independent report here. |
| 9.28am: Good morning and welcome to the Leveson inquiry live blog. | 9.28am: Good morning and welcome to the Leveson inquiry live blog. |
| Andy Coulson, former editor of the News of the World, will give evidence today as the inquiry turns its attention to module three and relations between politicians and the press. | Andy Coulson, former editor of the News of the World, will give evidence today as the inquiry turns its attention to module three and relations between politicians and the press. |
| Coulson has been at the heart of both Fleet Street and Westminster, first as News of the World (NoW) editor from 2003 to 2007 and later as David Cameron's communications director. He resigned both posts as a result of the phone-hacking scandal. | Coulson has been at the heart of both Fleet Street and Westminster, first as News of the World (NoW) editor from 2003 to 2007 and later as David Cameron's communications director. He resigned both posts as a result of the phone-hacking scandal. |
| The former editor is expected to face close scrutiny of his appointment by Cameron, just four months after his NotW resignation after the paper's royal reporter, Clive Goodman, pleaded guilty to phone-hacking related charges and was jailed. | The former editor is expected to face close scrutiny of his appointment by Cameron, just four months after his NotW resignation after the paper's royal reporter, Clive Goodman, pleaded guilty to phone-hacking related charges and was jailed. |
| Coulson was arrested and bailed on 8 July 2011 by the Metropolitan police in connection with conspiracy to unlawfully intercept communications and payments to police officers. He has consistently denied any knowledge of or involvement in any criminal activity at the NotW. | Coulson was arrested and bailed on 8 July 2011 by the Metropolitan police in connection with conspiracy to unlawfully intercept communications and payments to police officers. He has consistently denied any knowledge of or involvement in any criminal activity at the NotW. |
| The inquiry will also hear from Viscount Rothermere, chairman of Daily Mail & General Trust, publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Mail Online and Metro. | The inquiry will also hear from Viscount Rothermere, chairman of Daily Mail & General Trust, publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Mail Online and Metro. |
| Please note that comments have been switched off for legal reasons. | Please note that comments have been switched off for legal reasons. |