News media phone hacking scandal confirmed the practice was ongoing. In 2007, Piers Morgan asserted that phone hacking was common practice. "Loads of newspaper journalists were doing it. Clive Goodman, the "News of the World" reporter, has been made the scapegoat for a widespread practice." Andrew Neil former editor of "The Sunday Times" and former writer for the "Daily Mail" claimed that phone hacking "was systemic throughout the News of the World, and to a lesser extent "The Sun"." Sharon Marshall former TV editor for "News of the World" and contributor to "The Sun" said hacking was industry wide. In 2010, Paul McMullan formally of
2009–2011 News of the World phone hacking scandal investigations in bringing the revelations about phone hacking into the open. Watson was concerned by alleged press misconduct, as were his colleagues Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda, Khalid Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, and Sion Simon, then MP for Birmingham Erdington. Watson joined the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in 2009, under the chairmanship of Conservative MP John Whittingdale, specifically to pose questions to leading figures in News International about the ethics at both "The Sun" and the "News of the World," and allowing him to quiz Andy Coulson, who was director of communications for the Conservative Party, about