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Coulson to be Tories' press chief | |
(9 minutes later) | |
Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson is to become the Conservative Party's head of communications. | |
Mr Coulson quit his job with the tabloid after one of his reporters was jailed for phone tapping celebrities including members of the Royal Family. | Mr Coulson quit his job with the tabloid after one of his reporters was jailed for phone tapping celebrities including members of the Royal Family. |
He previously edited The Sun newspaper's Bizarre gossip column. | He previously edited The Sun newspaper's Bizarre gossip column. |
The job - Head of Communications and Planning - will be a key one as leader David Cameron prepares to take on incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown. | The job - Head of Communications and Planning - will be a key one as leader David Cameron prepares to take on incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown. |
A Tory spokesman said he was "an extremely experienced editor", who would give the Conservative press operation the extra "horsepower" it needed in the run up to the next general election. | |
Press complaints verdict | |
"A lot of Andy's job will involve being in day-to-day contact with editors and senior commentators and dealing with long-term strategy," he added. | |
"We are not looking for an Alastair Campbell figure - his reliance on spin and aggressive media management has been discredited. | |
"But we are looking for more horsepower and we are delighted that Andy will be playing a key role in David Cameron's top team." | |
Mr Coulson resigned on the day Clive Goodman, the News of the World's former royal editor, was jailed for four months for illegal phone tapping. | |
But a Tory spokesman said the party was satisfied Mr Coulson was not to blame for the scandal after he was cleared by a Press Complaints Commission investigation. | |
The PCC found no evidence that Mr Coulson or anyone else at the paper was aware of Goodman's illegal activities. |