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| Cameron facing MPs' questions over Coulson appointment | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron is facing MPs' questions on his decision to employ Andy Coulson, after his former communications director was convicted of conspiring to hack phones between 2000 and 2006. | |
| The prime minister has said he is "extremely sorry" for hiring Coulson in 2007 and then taking him to No 10. | The prime minister has said he is "extremely sorry" for hiring Coulson in 2007 and then taking him to No 10. |
| Labour has said his association with Coulson has "tainted" the government. | |
| Commons Speaker John Bercow said he would allow limited questions on the matter, after taking legal advice. | |
| Coulson was found guilty on Tuesday of conspiring to hack phones when he was editor of the News of the World. | Coulson was found guilty on Tuesday of conspiring to hack phones when he was editor of the News of the World. |
| The jury in the hacking trial is still considering separate charges of misconduct in public office against Coulson and former News of the World (NoW) royal editor Clive Goodman. | The jury in the hacking trial is still considering separate charges of misconduct in public office against Coulson and former News of the World (NoW) royal editor Clive Goodman. |
| In light of this, Mr Bercow said he had taken legal advice on whether the issue could be raised at the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions at 12:00. | |
| He told MPs he would allow references to Coulson's conviction but not to the outstanding charges or any matters relating to sentencing. He urged MPs to "exercise restraint". | |
| The prime minister appointed Coulson as his media chief in July 2007 - six months after he had quit as NoW editor. | The prime minister appointed Coulson as his media chief in July 2007 - six months after he had quit as NoW editor. |
| Mr Cameron took Coulson into Downing Street after becoming prime minister in 2010, only for him to resign in 2011 amid growing allegations about phone hacking during his time as editor. | Mr Cameron took Coulson into Downing Street after becoming prime minister in 2010, only for him to resign in 2011 amid growing allegations about phone hacking during his time as editor. |
| The prime minister has apologised for hiring Coulson, saying it was the "wrong decision" and that he had relied on undertakings he had been given by his former aide that had turned out to be wrong. | The prime minister has apologised for hiring Coulson, saying it was the "wrong decision" and that he had relied on undertakings he had been given by his former aide that had turned out to be wrong. |
| Labour has said his apology is insufficient and seeking answers on the degree of vetting that took place before Coulson's appointment. | |
| Asked what checks he had made before employing Coulson, the prime minister said he had asked him "if he knew about phone hacking, and he said he didn't and I accepted those assurances and I gave him the job". | Asked what checks he had made before employing Coulson, the prime minister said he had asked him "if he knew about phone hacking, and he said he didn't and I accepted those assurances and I gave him the job". |
| 'Bad mistake' | 'Bad mistake' |
| Writing in the Times, Conservative peer Lord Finkelstein, a former aide to Chancellor George Osborne, said the prime minister would feel "angry with himself" and faced "awkward" questions about his judgement. | Writing in the Times, Conservative peer Lord Finkelstein, a former aide to Chancellor George Osborne, said the prime minister would feel "angry with himself" and faced "awkward" questions about his judgement. |
| He suggested that when Coulson had been hired in 2007 the issue of hacking "hardly came into it" since "it seemed in the past, the police having investigated, charged people and moved on". | He suggested that when Coulson had been hired in 2007 the issue of hacking "hardly came into it" since "it seemed in the past, the police having investigated, charged people and moved on". |
| This attitude, he acknowledged, now looked "naive and almost wilfully ignorant". | This attitude, he acknowledged, now looked "naive and almost wilfully ignorant". |
| He added: "By the time it came to appointing his Downing Street staff, Andy Coulson was no longer a stranger to the prime minister, someone whose CV should be pored over and references taken up. He had become a close, trusted aide during the years spent in opposition. | He added: "By the time it came to appointing his Downing Street staff, Andy Coulson was no longer a stranger to the prime minister, someone whose CV should be pored over and references taken up. He had become a close, trusted aide during the years spent in opposition. |
| Analysis - BBC political editor Nick Robinson | Analysis - BBC political editor Nick Robinson |
| David Cameron could have chosen not to ask his spin-doctor to enter government with him but he chose to ignore the flashing red lights. | David Cameron could have chosen not to ask his spin-doctor to enter government with him but he chose to ignore the flashing red lights. |
| He was warned not to by the press pursuing the story, by colleagues, by his coalition partners as well, of course, as the Labour Party. | He was warned not to by the press pursuing the story, by colleagues, by his coalition partners as well, of course, as the Labour Party. |
| He argues that that was because Coulson had proved himself to be competent and trustworthy. | He argues that that was because Coulson had proved himself to be competent and trustworthy. |
| Others will assert that Cameron was scared to break the link with the former tabloid editor who knew how to reach the parts of the electorate that he could not. | Others will assert that Cameron was scared to break the link with the former tabloid editor who knew how to reach the parts of the electorate that he could not. |
| Coulson believes that if he had never crossed the threshold of No 10 he might not now be facing prison. | Coulson believes that if he had never crossed the threshold of No 10 he might not now be facing prison. |
| Without the link to Number 10 the hacking scandal might never have been front page news and the police would never have launched the massive investigation which is now being played out in court. | Without the link to Number 10 the hacking scandal might never have been front page news and the police would never have launched the massive investigation which is now being played out in court. |
| If David Cameron had simply thanked Coulson for his work in getting him to power but explained that their partnership could not survive he would still be facing embarrassment but not questions about why, as Labour leader Ed Miliband puts it, he brought a criminal into Downing Street. | If David Cameron had simply thanked Coulson for his work in getting him to power but explained that their partnership could not survive he would still be facing embarrassment but not questions about why, as Labour leader Ed Miliband puts it, he brought a criminal into Downing Street. |
| "It was clearly a bad mistake not to have taken a more rigorous view at this point, but I see how it happened." | "It was clearly a bad mistake not to have taken a more rigorous view at this point, but I see how it happened." |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said that when Mr Cameron had become Conservative leader in 2005 he had vowed to keep his distance from News of the World proprietor Rupert Murdoch's media empire, but long before he had reached No 10 he had abandoned that strategy and decided instead to hug them close. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said that when Mr Cameron had become Conservative leader in 2005 he had vowed to keep his distance from News of the World proprietor Rupert Murdoch's media empire, but long before he had reached No 10 he had abandoned that strategy and decided instead to hug them close. |
| Former Labour Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott, himself a victim of phone hacking, said the court had found that Coulson was guilty of "illegal, criminal acts" and that phone hacking had taken place on an "almost industrial scale". | Former Labour Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott, himself a victim of phone hacking, said the court had found that Coulson was guilty of "illegal, criminal acts" and that phone hacking had taken place on an "almost industrial scale". |
| Pressed on the last Labour government's close relationship to Rupert Murdoch, Lord Prescott said politicians and journalists would always talk but "journalists will make their judgements and politicians will make theirs". | Pressed on the last Labour government's close relationship to Rupert Murdoch, Lord Prescott said politicians and journalists would always talk but "journalists will make their judgements and politicians will make theirs". |
| "But when there is an abuse of it, there should be an independent assessment of it that protects people like the [parents of Madeleine McCann, who went missing, aged three, in Portugal in 2007, and teenager Milly Dowler, who was murdered in 2002]." he told Radio 4's Today programme. | "But when there is an abuse of it, there should be an independent assessment of it that protects people like the [parents of Madeleine McCann, who went missing, aged three, in Portugal in 2007, and teenager Milly Dowler, who was murdered in 2002]." he told Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "They are the ones that have been affected by it." | "They are the ones that have been affected by it." |
| Former News of the World executive editor Neil Wallis said Labour, when it was in government, "did absolutely nothing" about the issue of press regulation. | Former News of the World executive editor Neil Wallis said Labour, when it was in government, "did absolutely nothing" about the issue of press regulation. |
| "It was only after Rupert Murdoch changed sides and voted Tory in 2010 that the Labour Party starting screaming," he told Today. "The truth of the matter is that politicians will always try and cosy up to the press." | "It was only after Rupert Murdoch changed sides and voted Tory in 2010 that the Labour Party starting screaming," he told Today. "The truth of the matter is that politicians will always try and cosy up to the press." |