Rupert Murdoch backs Rebekah Brooks over News of the World phone hacking scandal

Rupert Murdoch has described allegations that the News of the World hacked phones and paid police as "deplorable and unacceptable".

The media mogul is the CEO of News Corporation, the company that owns News International, which has come under fire recently amid reports that the News of the World commissioned private investigator Glenn Mulcaire to hack into the voicemail of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Murdoch condemned the accusations, but voiced his support for News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, who has been under increasing pressure to resign from her post.

"I have made clear that our company must fully and proactively cooperate with the police in all investigations and that is exactly what News International has been doing and will continue to do under Rebekah Brooks's leadership," Murdoch said.

"We are committed to addressing these issues fully and have taken a number of important steps to prevent them from happening again."

Murdoch also said that he has asked News Corp's education unit head Joel Klein "to provide important oversight and guidance".

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Brooks previously promised the "strongest possible action" if the claims are proven to be true, commenting: "I am sickened that these events are alleged to have happened."

However, Brooks defended herself against reports that she knew about the practices. She said: "It is inconceivable that I knew or worse, sanctioned, these appalling [alleged actions]."

BBC political editor Nick Robinson has suggested that News International "executives believe they know who was responsible" for hacking into Dowler's voicemail, and added that the "newly-uncovered evidence" does not "contradict" Brooks's claims.

Murdoch himself has been challenged to meet one of the family members of the London 7/7 victims, who have also been contacted by police with regards to possible phone hacking.

Prime Minister David Cameron has backed calls for a public inquiry into the phone hacking allegations, as the House of Commons held a rare emergency debate earlier today to discuss the accusations made against the News of the World.

Cameron declared: "It is absolutely disgusting, what has taken place, and I think everyone in this House and indeed this country will be revolted by what they have heard and what they have seen on their television screens."

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