The Culture, Media and Sport Committee was today hearing evidence from James and Rupert Murdoch over the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World.  The committee meeting was briefly suspended following the actions of a member of the public who had lunged towards Rupert Murdoch with what has transpired to be shaving foam.

Reports from Westminster suggest that Rupert Murdoch took a hit from the shaving foam.  The scenes were quite spectacular as others from the public benches of the committee room, including Wendi Murdoch, came to the aid of Rupert Murdoch.  The audio suggests that the attacker was slapped by Wendi Murdoch as she jumped into the role of bodyguard.

The police and parliamentary security were quickly seen running in and detaining a male who visibly had some form of substance over his face and shirt.  It was quickly circulated on the social media site Twitter that the alleged attacker was Jonnie Marbles although this has yet to be confirmed.

Serious questions arise about parliamentary security over this issue.  How was a member of the public able to gain access to the committee room with the equipment necessary to create this plate of shaving foam.  The security in and around parliament is not all that different to the security found at airports around the United Kingdom.  Parliamentary security officials and the police will be asking questions, I’m sure.

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