Clash over 'shoddy journalism' claims

Jules Stenson, who was head of features at the News of the World, and the Guardian journalist Nick Davies have clashed on Newsnight over whose publication was guilty of "shoddy journalism".

Their argument came after the Metropolitan Police told the Leveson Inquiry it had no evidence journalists deleted messages on the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

The allegation that News of the World journalists deleted messages first appeared in the Guardian newspaper - and was a turning point in the hacking affair, contributing to the closure of the News of the World and the establishment of the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

Mr Stenson said he was on the programme to "attack" Mr Davies' journalism, not to defend the News of the World. Mr Davies said that Mr Stenson, who was head of features at the News of the World between 2003 and 2011, should show humility.