News International appoints Guto Harri as head of communications
News International has announced the appointment of Guto Harri, Boris Johnson's former director of external affairs, as director of communications.
Harri says that News International produces "first class journalism" and has been unfairly punished for having a "few rotten apples".
Starting his new role today, he will aim to help the company restore its reputation.
He told the Guardian: "Not every politician is corrupt, not every banker gets an enormous bonus and doesn't think they give a monkey's for anything, and not everyone who works at News International was involved in phone hacking.
"I know very good people who write for the Times and for the Sun and they are first class journalists and they are very decent people and again one of the reasons why I am more than happy, I'm delighted to take the job, is that those people cannot be tarred with the same soggy brush as just a few people who were either involved in criminal activity, which is a matter for the courts, or you know, were seemingly out of control."