Rupert Murdoch is still defending his former protégé Rebekah Brooks, despite new revelations about links between the journalist and the Metropolitan Police.
The media mogul tweeted on Wednesday morning: "Now they are blaming R Brooks from saving an old horse from the glue factory. What next?"
@rupertmurdoch
Murdoch's continued public backing of Brooks is certain to anger former News of the World employees, as well as current disgruntled staffers at The Sun.
There is still much anger at Brooks following the closure of the News of the World and her resignation as News International's chief executive. She was the target of a C-word tirade by one former NOTW staffer, who said it was unfair she kept her job as 200 journalists lost theirs. She has been described as like a "daughter" to the Murdoch family with her close relationship with Rupert Murdoch key to her rise from secretary to editor to chief executive.
Brooks, who married former race horse trainer Charlie Brooks in 2009, resigned from News International shortly after the paper was shut down, saying her "desire to remain on the bridge" had made her a "focal point" of debate as the full extent of the phone hacking scandal emerged.
Former NOTW staffer Trevor Davis, in a blog for the Huffington Post UK, said that staff at The Sun were "all too aware of how their friends at the News of the World were treated" and did not "trust Murdoch".
Phone hacking campaigner Tom Watson accused Murdoch, asking "have you no shame?"
@tom_watson
Murdoch's tweet follows the revelation that the former News International boss looked after a police horse from 2008.
According to a statement from the Met, police often find horses a "suitable retirement home" when they reach the end of their working life.
"Whilst responsibility for feeding the animal and paying vet bills passes to the person entrusted to its care at its new home, the horse remains the property of the Metropolitan Police Service. Retired police horses are not sold on and can be returned to the care of the MPS at any time.”
"In 2008 a retired MPS horse was loaned to Rebekah Brooks."
Police said the horse was re-housed with an officer in 2010. According to reports on Tuesday evening, Brooks returned the horse, named Raisa, in a poor condition.
The revelation came a day after a memo indicating Brooks was briefed by police on the original phone hacking investigation emerged at the Leveson inquiry into the media.
At Leveson on Monday, the officer at the head of the corruption investigation, Sue Akers, said The Sun newspaper had a "culture" of illegal payments to officials in all areas of public life.
And giving evidence on Tuesday, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes suggested phone hacking cost him the leadership of the party.
Tweeters reacted to the news with hilarity. See a slideshow of some of their best comments below.
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The Huffington Post UK | By Dina Rickman | Posted: 29/02/12 11:30 GMT | Updated: 29/02/12 12:05 GMT