Andy Coulson happy to meet police over phone-tap claims

Ready to talk: Andy Coulson, now advising the Prime Minister, left, denies he knew about bugging at the News of the World
12 April 2012

Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson today told Scotland Yard that he is happy to meet officers voluntarily after the latest phone-hacking allegations.

Friends emphasised that he had not been contacted by police, but a spokesman for the former News of the World editor said that he would be prepared to co-operate with detectives over the allegations by former NoW journalist Sean Hoare.

Home Secretary Theresa May told the Commons this afternoon that it was "right" for the police to say they would examine any new evidence.

The latest development came amid increasing pressure for police to re-open the investigation into the allegations after a senior Scotland Yard officer said they were treating Hoare's claims as new evidence.

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner John Yates said the force had asked the New York Times to provide any new material that it had relating to the matter, including an interview with the journalist.

Hoare, sacked from the paper for drink and drug taking, has claimed in the US paper that the Downing Street communications chief knew about News of the World staff eavesdropping on private messages when its editor.

Mr Coulson has consistently denied the claims.

The New York Times quoted former journalists as saying that the phone hacking was far more extensive than the Murdoch-owned Sunday paper admitted at the time.

A spokesman for Mr Coulson said: "Andy Coulson has today told the Metropolitan Police that he is happy to voluntarily meet with them following allegations made by Sean Hoare. Mr Coulson emphatically denies these allegations.

"He has, however, offered to talk to officers if the need arises and would welcome the opportunity to give his view on Mr Hoare's claims."

Detectives are also expected to interview Hoare to discuss if he has evidence to support his allegations.

They will discuss their findings with the Crown Prosecution Service to decide if there is enough evidence to re-open the inquiry.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning Mr Yates said: "We have always said that if any new material, new evidence, was produced we would consider it."

Mr Coulson resigned as News of the World editor after the paper's royal reporter Clive Goodman, and a private investigator, were jailed for phone hacking in 2007.

A No 10 spokesman said that the Prime Minister has "full confidence" in Mr Coulson.

The Home Secretary was ordered by the Speaker to answer questions in the Commons about the allegations this afternoon. Her Labour shadow Alan Johnson, who was the minister responsible when the scandal first broke, said a new investigation was justified by fresh evidence.

Ms May said the Government would "await the outcome" of any further action.

Labour MP Tom Watson, who forced Mrs May to come to the Commons to answer the question, said she must not join a "conspiracy" to undermine the "integrity of our democracy". He called on her to confirm whether former prime minister Tony Blair had asked Scotland Yard whether his phone was hacked.

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