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Cameron gives new backing to aide Cameron standing by press chief
(about 7 hours later)
David Cameron has again given his backing to Andy Coulson, saying his conduct had been "beyond reproach" since he began working for the Tories. David Cameron has continued to resist pressure to axe Andy Coulson as Tory communications chief over claims about phone hacking at the News of the World.
The Tories' communications director is under pressure after claims about phone messages being intercepted by the News of the World, the paper he once edited. The Tory leader dismissed as a "political stunt" a demand by Charles Clarke for answers from Mr Coulson.
Senior Labour and Lib Dems figures say he should be sacked but the Tory leader maintains Mr Coulson's job is safe. The ex-home secretary handed Mr Cameron a letter as the Tory leader visited Mr Clarke's Norwich constituency.
It asks what Mr Coulson knew about alleged phone hacking at the News of the World when he was its editor.
'Questions to answer'
The letter says that Mr Cameron, as opposition leader, has a responsibility to help "clean up" politics and uphold standards in public life.
So far we have had no answers from Andy Coulson. We need answers Charles Clarke on Andy Coulson Tories reject call to axe Coulson Stars 'may sue' over phone claims
Mr Clarke told BBC News: "He should instruct his employee, Andy Coulson, to answer the questions that everybody wants to know following those revelations yesterday. Namely, were the News of the World bugging people? Did he authorise it? Did he pay for it? What did he know?
"So far we have had no answers from Andy Coulson. We need answers."
But Mr Cameron said Mr Clarke was indulging in "a political stunt".
"Labour are desperately trying to deflect attention away from the dreadful state of the public finances and the complete shambles of their government," he said.
He added: "The one thing Charles Clarke and I do agree about is that Gordon Brown is not the right man to be prime minister."
He said Mr Coulson had taken responsibility for what happened "on his watch" at the News of the World, when he resigned as editor two and a half years ago after Royal reporter Clive Goodman was jailed for phone hacking.
"I thought it was entirely reasonable for me, him having resigned, having done the right thing, to actually give him a second chance in a second job and all I can say is that as director of communications, he has behaved in an entirely proper way at all times, working for me and the Conservative Party."
The police have said they will not re-open their inquiry into the affair.The police have said they will not re-open their inquiry into the affair.
Stout defence Implications
The Metropolitan Police said no new evidence had come to light to warrant the move despite allegations in the Guardian that up to 3,000 high profile figures - including John Prescott - were targeted by the newspaper.The Metropolitan Police said no new evidence had come to light to warrant the move despite allegations in the Guardian that up to 3,000 high profile figures - including John Prescott - were targeted by the newspaper.
But the pressure continues on Mr Coulson, with the Commons Culture Committee saying it will re-open its inquiry into the affair and may call him to give evidence. But the Lib Dems are dissatisfied with this and have asked the Independent Police Complaints Commission to examine the conduct of the original inquiry.
The work he has done for me, for the Conservative Party, I think has been completely beyond reproach David Cameron on Andy Coulson class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8141819.stm">Tories reject call to axe Coulson The possibility that other journalists and investigators were involved must now be seriously considered Chris Huhne, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman
Asked about Mr Coulson's position on Friday, Mr Cameron said he had behaved in a "wholly responsible way" since he took up his post with the Tories. In a letter to the Commission, the party's home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the Guardian allegations have "serious implications" for privacy laws and press freedom.
"The work he has done for me, for the Conservative Party, I think has been completely beyond reproach," he said. "Given the scale and scope of the allegations, the possibility that other journalists and investigators were involved must now be seriously considered," he said.
"He does it in a very proper way, a very upright way and obviously the work he does for the Conservative party for me, I take full responsibility for as leader of the Conservative party and that's is as it should be".
In insisting that Mr Coulson's job is safe, Mr Cameron has sought to make a distinction between what he may have done in the past and what he does now for the Tories.
Mr Coulson was "right" to resign as News of World editor in the aftermath of the phone hacking saga, which led to the conviction of the paper's royal editor, the Tory leader said.
This was the "responsible" thing to do, Mr Cameron added, because although Mr Coulson did not know anything about these activities - something the Guardian says it has no evidence to dispute - they had happened "on his watch".
He added that it had been "perfectly reasonable" for him to offer Mr Coulson a job later on as he believed in giving people a second chance.
'Politically motivated'
Mr Coulson has yet to comment on whether he knew about phone hacking at the paper.
Mr Prescott has written to Mr Cameron expressing his "deep concern" about the Guardian's allegations.
The former deputy prime minister has said they call into question Mr Cameron's judgement in hiring Mr Coulson.
The Tories say Mr Prescott's call and that of former home secretary Charles Clarke for Mr Coulson to be sacked were politically-motivated attempts to destabilise Mr Cameron.
Speaking on BBC's Question Time, shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said the other parties had shown a "huge dose of political opportunism" over the issue.
"The reality is Andy Coulson stepped down from editing the News of the World and he did it because he was taking responsibility for something he did not know about but something he wanted to take responsibility for," he said.
"He has behaved totally honourably."
But speaking on the same programme, Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the Guardian allegations raised "very serious questions" which must be fully answered.
The Lib Dems have called for Mr Coulson to be sacked, comparing his case to that of Damian McBride, the Downing Street aide forced to quit over e-mail smears against senior Conservatives.The Lib Dems have called for Mr Coulson to be sacked, comparing his case to that of Damian McBride, the Downing Street aide forced to quit over e-mail smears against senior Conservatives.
Mr Coulson has yet to comment on whether he knew about phone hacking at the paper but the Guardian has said it has no evidence to suggest he did.
The Commons Culture Committee has said it will re-open its inquiry into the affair and may call Mr Coulson and senior executives at News International - the publisher of the News of the World - to give evidence.