Cameron acknowledges need for phone hacking inquiry

David Cameron agreed this morning that a public inquiry into phone hacking is needed, but said that he was reticent to launch the inquiry before the current police investigation is over.

In prime minister's questions this morning, the Labour leader Ed Miliband called for a full inquiry to be launched immediately, with a senior figure, possibly a judge, at the helm.

Cameron acknowledged that an independent inquiry "with the confidence of the public" was needed, but warned that the current police investigation would be jeopardised by beginning it at this stage.

To laughs from opposition MPs, Cameron defended the current police investigation, calling it "one of the biggest in the country" and stressing that it included no officers who took part in the original investigation "that so clearly did not get to the truth".

He did say that some parts of an inquiry could begin before the police investigation was over, but added that attempting to look into the relationship between the police and News International could jeopardise the investigation.

He called the recent revelations about phone hacking at the News of the World "a disgraceful episode".

An emergency debate in the Commons today follows recent revelations that private investigator Glenn Mulcaire targeted the phones of murdered teenager Milly Dowler and her family in 2002, while working for the News of the World, and may have also targeted the families of 7/7 victims and the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were killed the same year by Ian Huntley in 2002.

Miliband, who said yesterday that News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks should "consider her position" after the recent revelations, called clearly for her to resign in the session. In an apparent reference to Cameron's friendship with Brooks, Miliband said: "I know that this is difficult for the prime minister, but will he join me in saying that she should take responsibility?"

Cameron refused to do so, reiterating that it was for the police to investigate the matter and come to a conclusion about who was responsible.

Miliband also accused Cameron of a "catastrophic error of judgement" for employing Brooks' successor at the News of the World Andy Coulson to be his communications chief. Cameron defended Coulson, saying that he had "done excellent work" while at Downing Street.

Coulson resigned from his role at Downing Street in January, citing the increasing pressure from coverage of the phone hacking scandal.

The Met police confirmed in a statement today that it had been passed evidence from News International that Coulson had sanctioned payments to police officers during his time as editor of the tabloid.

Cameron also came under pressure during this morning's session to intervene in News International's bid to takeover BSkyB, with Miliband claiming that the government should delay the takeover to give "breathing space for legitimacy and the proper decision to be made".

But the prime minister stressed that the issues of media plurality that led to consultation over the pending BSkyB takeover were entirely separate to concerns over whether News International was fit and proper.

He accused Miliband of saying the same thing yesterday and "doing a U-turn" in time for prime minister's questions.

Former Labour minister Ben Bradshaw asked Cameron whether assurances from News International over the BSkyB bid "could be any more credible" than assurances over phone hacking. Cameron argued repeatedly that the government had followed due process over the BSkyB bid and would continue to do so.

A separate campaign for a full public inquiry into phone hacking led by the Media Standards Trust will be launched in the House of Lords today.

The campaign, called "Hacked Off", will be launched by Lord Fowler, Lord Cunningham, Chris Bryant MP, Mark Lewis, Adrian Sanders MP, Professor Brian Cathcart, and Media Standards Trust director Martin Moore.

More to follow...

Image by DFID - UK Department for International Development on Flickr. Some rights reserved

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