There has been condemnation from several high profile Twitter users and the general public, after Rupert Murdoch announced on the social networking site that he believed those campaigning against the phone hacking perpetrated by the News of the World in 2011 were, “scumbag celebrities.”

“Told UK's Cameron receiving scumbag celebrities pushing for even more privacy laws. Trust the toffs! Transparency under attack. Bad,” was the tweet that so inflamed passions.

According to the Guardian, the reason for Mr Murdoch's statement was due to the Prime Minister meeting with anti-phone-hacking campaigners, including TV presenter Charlotte Church and ex police woman, Jacquie Hames. While Church and her family has already been awarded £600,000 as part of the phone hacking scandal, Hames is still in the process of suing News International.

Their claims make up a very small percentage of the some 170 that have been brought against the corporation, all related to phone hacking at now defunct paper, News of the World.

While Mr Murdoch followed up his tweet with another distancing the remark from either Church or James, he pointed the finger instead at fellow Hacked Off (anti-phone hacking campaign group) member Hugh Grant, making reference to his sexual exploits that were exposed by the press in 1995.

Following his remarks, Church has called for an apology from the media mogul, despite his follow up statement that claimed he hadn't been referring to her or Hames.

KitGuru Says: Is it really necessary for a man to apologise for having an opinion? No one is going to argue that Rupert Murdoch is a stand up guy, but just as much as people are allowed to say something positive about people on Twitter, they should equally be able to say something negative – especially when its this nondescript. What do you guys think?

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