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
Metropolitan Police role in the news media phone hacking scandal in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, wrote to foreign secretary, William Hague expressing concern over the "potentially chilling effect on investigative journalism and media freedom." The Met initially sought to clarify its use of the Official Secrets Act but soon retreated from this initiative and withdrew its demand. "The Guardian" observed: Metropolitan Police role in the news media phone hacking scandal This article provides a narrative beginning in 1999 of investigations by the Metropolitan Police Service (Met) of Greater London into the illegal acquisition of confidential information by agents in collabouration with the news media that is