Murdoch gave Brooks £1.7m pay off, use of car and office

Summary of story from The Guardian, November 8, 2011

Rebekah Brooks, who recently resigned as chief executive of News International has received £1.7m in cash, the use of a London office and a chauffeur-driven limousine as part of her severance package from the newspaper group.

Brooks, who resigned at the height of the phone-hacking scandal in July, was arrested and bailed in connection with allegations of phone hacking and corruption (see WVoN coverage).

Records at Companies House show that she has resigned from 23 directorships related to the firm.

However, along with a generous payoff and continued use of her company limousine and driver for two years, Brooks, 43, has been given an office for the same period of time in an affluent central London area.

This decision will inevitably be raised when James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch and chair of News International, returns to Westminster this week to answer questions from the UK’s House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee about his knowledge of illegal activities by his employees.

Tom Watson, the Labour Member of Parliament who helped lead the fight to expose the phone-hacking practices, said: “It is remarkably curious that such a generous package is given to Ms Brooks when others have been cut loose.

“It is almost as if she hasn’t really left the company. I am sure Mr Murdoch will want to explain the decision to his shareholders.”

Dave Wilson, chairman of Bell Pottinger, the public relations group hired by Brooks to deal with the fallout from her resignation, declined to comment on the “confidential” details of her severance package.

News International also declined to comment.