Intrigue

Ex-Telegraph Editor May Have Leaked Story

In attempt to facilitate BSkyB deal.

A major scoop by The Telegraph that involved Rupert Murdoch may have been blown by one of its editors who now works for News Corp., Telegraph editors say. In December, that paper had a bombshell audio recording of Vince Cable, the government's business secretary, boasting that he had “declared war” on Rupert Murdoch and planned to block News Corp.’s bid for BSkyB. But while The Telegraph was preparing the story, it was broken instead by BBC editor Robert Peston, who had obtained a copy of the recording. His story caused Cable to lose his job. Now The Telegraph has a “strong suspicion” that its former chief editor William Lewis and another ex-Telegraph employee leaked the story to Peston. Lewis is currently in charge of News Corp.'s campaign to clean up the hacking scandal, and Peston is being accused by M.P.s of using his clout at the BBC to distract the public from News International's current leadership.