Leveson probe 'sham', says singer

Singer George Michael has claimed he was asked to speak to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards but declined, dismissing it as a sham.

As part of a series of tweets posted on Twitter, the star said: "I was asked to talk to the Leveson inquiry, but I declined. It's all bulls**t.

"It has been several years since two hacking journalists were sent to prison for bugging the royal family. They remain the only people who have been tried in the criminal courts.

"After all these years, and all the crimes committed by journos, editors, the police force and MPs the best can do is 'enquiry' after inquiry, and no actual criminal prosecutions?

"Why on earth are the rights of the royal family more important than those of Milly Dowler's parents, or of any of the hundreds of people whose lives have been violated by the press?

"Shame on our political system for it's refusal to take this further. The day they make this sham real and start genuinely prosecuting people I would more than happy to help. :)....till then, what's the point."

During the 15-tweet rant Michael also attacked the Daily Mail, as well as calling Prime Minister David Cameron the "most cowardly PM we've seen for decades".

But a spokesman for the Leveson Inquiry said George Michael had never been asked to give evidence.

The star's comments come just days before former News International executive Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are expected to make embarrassing revelations about British politicians' attempts to woo Rupert Murdoch's newspapers.

Mr Coulson, David Cameron's former communications director, will appear before the inquiry on Thursday followed by Mrs Brooks on Friday, and their potentially explosive evidence could overshadow David Cameron's efforts to relaunch the coalition's programme after bruising local election results for the Conservatives and Lib Dems.

©Press Association