A letter from a journalist jailed for phone hacking, which alleges senior News of the World figures knew what was going on, has been released by MPs.

Former royal editor Clive Goodman wrote the letter to News International as he appealed against his dismissal in 2007.

Mr Goodman said hacking was "widely discussed" at the paper and that he had been promised his job back if he did not implicate it in court.

In a separate move, the Commons culture committee may recall James Murdoch.

'Constructive and open'
Committee chairman, Tory MP John Whittingdale, said that it might recall Mr Murdoch to give further evidence because it needed to ask more questions on what he knew about hacking.

Other former News International executives are already expecting to be called to give evidence to MPs in September.

Responding to the release of Goodman's letter, a News International spokesman said: "We recognise the seriousness of materials disclosed to the police and Parliament and are committed to working in a constructive and open way with all the relevant authorities."




The editor promised on many occasions that I could come back to a job at the newspaper if I did not implicate the paper”

Clive Goodman
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Goodman is the only journalist so far to have been convicted of intercepting voice mail messages.

He was jailed for four months in January 2007 after pleading guilty to hacking phones.

News International said at the time that Goodman had acted alone and no other journalists were involved in hacking.

In early February of that year, Goodman was told he had been dismissed for gross misconduct, prompting his appeal to News International's director of human resources, dated 2 March.

The letter, published on the MPs' committee website, was copied to Les Hinton, News International's then executive chairman, and Stuart Kuttner, the then managing editor of the News of the World.

Appealing against his dismissal, Goodman wrote: "The decision is perverse in that the actions leading to this criminal charge were carried out with the full knowledge and support of [redacted] … payment for Glen Mulcaire's services was arranged by [redacted].

"The decision is inconsistent because [redacted] and other members of staff were carrying out the same illegal procedures.

"This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the Editor. As far as I am

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