Leveson inquiry: Piers Morgan gives evidence - live
Full coverage as the former News of the World editor appears at the inquiry into press standards and phone hacking
10.32am: Another bullying example in an unnamed tabloid newspaper - but not the News of the World - is now being discussed.
A senior executive at this paper told a reporter:
"I don't want a story about a bent policeman I want a story about a whole bent police force."
The reporter concerned had been bullied over a long period of time and was ringing Turner twice a week to get advice.
Because I have seen so many of these things end in tears and possible job loss, Turner's approach was to counsel the reporter through the difficult time in the hope that the executive would move on to someone else.
10.29am: Turner is now being asked about a case he was involved in about fabrication of stories in an unnamed tabloid about five or six years ago. The newspaper made up stories and used "teenagers of 14, 15 or 16 who were only too willing to be pictured" to illustrate them.
It was one of those situations where the newspaper wanted to have a regular column about extraordinary happenings to people, but obviously was quickly going to run out of [genuine stuff]
There was a name in the office for these articles he said which would confirm these stories were fabricated.
10.27am: There is no doubt confidentiality agreements prevent people discussing this issue of bullying and victimisation.
One of the most important issues in the confidentiality agreements is that you can't take further action, such as an unfair dismissal case, against the paper.
Turner says:
I think that's fair enough but I think you should be allowed to talk about it
10.24am: Turner says nervous breakdowns are not uncommon.
Matt Driscoll's case was 2006 and other cases he dealt with were in the previous five yea! rs. But others "decided to move on before there was any damage done too them".
It is not uncommon to have a nervous breakdown as a result of this unrealistic terrorising, because that's what it comes down to.
10.19am: He is now talking about bullying and victimisation at the News of the World.
He says many just leave quietly with a severance deal.
What happened with Matt Driscoll was he wasn't willing to be fobbed off.
10.17am: Turner says bullying is commonplace in newsrooms.
He says he has received many complaints about bullying over the years in the provincial and national press.
He says bullying would involve "an overbearing head of department who is demanding too much work from an individual with the effect their working life is a bit of a problem."
10.15am:Turner says in 1984 the technological revolution had caught up with Fleet Street.
He said there was a "double whammy to maximise profits while at the same time circulation was in decline".
There was enormous pressure put on reporters to produce exciting stories and more revelatory stories and as the staffing levels declined ... there was pressure on individual journalists to cut corners.
10.13am: Turner was a journalist before he joined the NUJ.
He worked as a sub editor in Fleet Street. He was an NUJ representative for many years at the Daily Mirror.
10.08am: Steve Turner, who represented the former News of the World journalist Matt Driscoll is now being sworn in.
He is being questioned by Carine Patry Hoskins.
Turner was formerly a general secretary at the NUJ.
He then joined the British Association of journalists. Mirror Group Newspapers forms the majority of its membership base.
10.06am: The attendance note for the meeting 13 May 2010 was typed up on June 15.
The typist had the doc! ument op en for 6 hours and 16 minutes, Leveson hears.
There is no reference in the attendance note to the alleged relationship between Mark Lewis and Charlotte Harris, Robert Jay, counsel for the Leveson inquiry observes.
Pike had previously said that was discussed.
10.04am: He has supplied the inquiry with historic emails which show notifications he got from various parties including lawyer Sarah Webb notifiying him that Miller was going to make a claim in May.
He also received a letter from the Metropolitan Police in relation to the matter in May.
10.02am: Pike is being recalled in relation to an attendance note for a meeting in May 2010 which related to Sienna Miller.
He was asked about this last week after David Sherborne, counsel for Miller and other phone hacking victims, queried how he knew about the actress's claim before it became public.
10.01am: The Leveson inquiry has started. It appears that solicitor Julian Pike, the Farrer & Co partner is on first.
9.50am: Roy Greenslade is reporting on his Guardian blog that Derek Webb, the private investigator who spied on people on behalf of the News of the World, has resigned from the National Union of Journalists.
Roy writes:
He quit the union last week amid continuing controversy over his membership.
Further to my posting yesterday, Come on NUJ, explain how a private eye became a union member, I am able to shed more light on the matter.
An NUJ spokesperson explained that the union had followed normal procedures in allowing Webb to join. He completed the same form that all applicants fill in.
He did not, of course, mention that he was a private detective, referring to himself as a "researcher", which the NUJ deems to be a perfectly respectable occupation worthy of membership.
9.25am: Welcome to the Leveson inquiry live blog.
Today the inquiry will hear from six witnesses including Piers Morgan, the TV host and former editor of the Daily Mirror and the News of the World.
He is expected to be the last or second last witness of the day as he is giving evidence by video link from Los Angeles.
Also up today is Julian Pike, partner at Farrer & Co, the law firm used by News International to negotiate its phone hacking settlements. He is appearing today for the second time.
Sharon Marshall, TV critic for This Morning, will also testify. She worked on the News of the World as the TV editor but it is understood that Leveson has called her as a witness to discuss her book Tabloid Girl.
Chris Johnson a journalist with news agency Mercury Press will give evidence after 11.30am. He is there in his capacity as the treasurer of the National Association of Press Agencies.
He was mentioned as a representative of one of the "reputable" agencies by the former News of the World executive editor Neil Wallis.
Steve Turner, who represented a former sports journalist at the News of the World in an employment tribunal, is also testifying today.
The sports journalist, Matt Driscoll, yesterday told the inquiry how the paper dismissed him after years of being considered one of the paper's top reporters. It ended up paying out 800,000 in an employment tribunal.
Journalist Matthew Bell is the sixth witness today. He has written for the Daily Express and MailOnline.
Please note that comments have been switched off for legal reasons.
Comments