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Nick Robinson
Political editor
Cameron faces headache over Coulson allegations
Former NoW editor Andy Coulson was Mr Cameron's communications chief until early this year
It is the link David Cameron's aides always feared. The link between the prime minister's former close aide and director of communications, Andy Coulson, and alleged illegality when he was editor of the News of the World.
This story is, though, not about hacking. It is about paying the police.
News International have now confirmed - in response to an article in Vanity Fair - that they have passed on e-mails to the investigation which, it is alleged, show that Coulson authorised payments to the police when he was editor of the NoW.
I am told that News International did not inform their old employee and favourite son, Andy Coulson, about what they had passed to the police.
What this shows is that those in the firing line are no longer standing together.
What it ensures is that David Cameron has returned from Afghanistan tonight to find himself at the centre of the row about media ethics, the power of the Murdoch empire and his own judgement in hiring Andy Coulson.
PS If you've a long memory you may recall that Rebekah Brooks - then Wade - inadvertently revealed in 2003 that her papers had paid police when under questioning at a Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee hearing.
(Ms Wade) We have paid the police for information in the past.
(Chris Bryant MP) And will you do it in the future?
(Ms Wade) It depends -
At which point Andy Coulson leapt in to rescue his boss and old friend.
(Mr Coulson) We operate within the code and within the law and if there is a clear public interest then we will. The same holds for private detectives, subterfuge, a video bag - whatever you want to talk about.
After this she "clarified" her evidence in a letter which stated that: "My intention was simply to comment generally on the widely-held belief that payments had been made in the past to police officers.
"If, in doing so, I gave the impression that I had knowledge of any specific cases, I can assure you that this was not my intention."
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Comment number 79.
AndyC5556th July 2011 - 11:44
75 - "NI supported Labour for a while because their policy is to curry favour with whatever party is in the ascendency;...Another theme being a willingness to do pretty much anything (break the law, pander to lowest common denominator sentiment) in the pursuit of power and profit."
Can you clarify? the bit about the pursuit of power and profit. That's Labour you're talking about?
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Comment number 78.
AndyC5556th July 2011 - 11:41
65 - "You're crossing the line from scoring political points to looking ridiculous."
A line Saga has never been afraid to cross.
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Comment number 77.
sagamix6th July 2011 - 11:40
@ 43
Depends on your own standard over the board, Andy, as to whether you can say that or not. Given how you shy away from nuance and complexity ... 'the tax law is like a speed camera' and similar jaunty refrains ... I suspect it might not be your game. Me, I'm solid but not spectacular. More Spassky than Fischer.
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Comment number 76.
Idont Believeit6th July 2011 - 11:20
F_S @61 Good try at damage limitation but too much damage has already been done by posts such as rockRobin(51). If Labour was in thrall to Murdoch for his 'key support' (a contention of yours I believe), then the question now has to be what was the price of his support for the Tories in 2010. Out of the mouth of babes..?
Come to that I don't suppose UKIP would rejecta bit of help from NI. Price?
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Comment number 75.
sagamix6th July 2011 - 11:25
Robin @ 51
NI supported Labour for a while because their policy is to curry favour with whatever party is in the ascendency; that's a theme here. Another theme being a willingness to do pretty much anything (break the law, pander to lowest common denominator sentiment) in the pursuit of power and profit. Big business at its least appetising. Course, if the public didn't lap up the product ...
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Comments 5 of 79