This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28014035

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Judge considered halting hacking trial after Cameron comments Judge rebukes Cameron for comments on Coulson conviction
(35 minutes later)
The judge in the phone hacking trial considered halting proceedings following David Cameron's comments on the conviction of Andy Coulson. A senior judge has rebuked David Cameron for commenting on the conviction of Andy Coulson while the phone-hacking trial was still going on.
The prime minister apologised on Tuesday for employing Coulson, saying it had been the "wrong decision".The prime minister apologised on Tuesday for employing Coulson, saying it had been the "wrong decision".
A lawyer for Coulson said this intervention was "ill-advised and premature" given the jury had to reach verdicts on other outstanding charges. Mr Justice Saunders said his intervention was "unsatisfactory" and set a bad example to the media.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron has clashed with Ed Miliband in the Commons. The jury has now been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on outstanding charges against Coulson.
Coulson was found guilty on Tuesday of conspiring to hack phones when he was editor of the News of the World. Mr Cameron issued a statement on Tuesday after Coulson was found guilty of conspiring to hack phones when he was editor of the News of the World.
The jury in the hacking trial has now been discharged after being unable to reach a verdict on separate charges of misconduct in public office against Coulson and former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman. 'Open season'
A spokesman for the prime minister said David Cameron had taken the "best legal advice before issuing his apology yesterday". At the time the jury had still to reach verdicts on separate charges of misconduct in public office against Coulson and former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman.
Speaking in court, Mr Justice Saunders said the prime minister's action had been regrettable.
"I consider that what has happened is unsatisfactory so far as justice and the rule of law are concerned.
"The press in court have been extremely responsible in their reporting of this case but when politicians regard it as open season, one cannot expect the press to remain silent."
A lawyer for Coulson said the prime minister's intervention was "ill-advised and premature" given the jury had to reach verdicts on other outstanding charges.
A No 10 spokesman said he had taken the "best legal advice before issuing his apology yesterday".
He said No 10 had responded to the judge to make it clear that the prime minister's apology was in response to the verdict delivered in open court and was restricted to that issue.He said No 10 had responded to the judge to make it clear that the prime minister's apology was in response to the verdict delivered in open court and was restricted to that issue.
The spokesman said there was widespread media coverage of the verdict and the prime minister had sought legal advice before issuing his statement.The spokesman said there was widespread media coverage of the verdict and the prime minister had sought legal advice before issuing his statement.
In Parliament, Ed Miliband accused David Cameron of "wilfully ignoring" warnings about Andy Coulson before hiring him saying Mr Cameron had "brought disgrace to Downing Street". Former justice secretary Ken Clarke told the BBC that the prime minister's statement was "unwise" but insisted that the trial had not been "prejudiced".
He said the PM had failed to answer whether senior civil servants had raised concerns about Coulson but Mr Cameron said all such matters had been considered by the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.
'Wrong decision''Wrong decision'
Meanwhile, in Parliament, Labour leader Ed Miliband accused David Cameron of "wilfully ignoring" warnings about Andy Coulson before hiring him saying Mr Cameron had "brought disgrace to Downing Street".
He said the PM had failed to answer whether senior civil servants had raised concerns about Coulson but Mr Cameron said all such matters had been considered by the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.
Mr Miliband said the prime minister had been "wilfully negligent" and "did not want to know" when it came to the evidence about Coulson.Mr Miliband said the prime minister had been "wilfully negligent" and "did not want to know" when it came to the evidence about Coulson.
He said Mr Cameron had ignored a warning from the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg about Coulson as well as media reports over Coulson's alleged knowledge of phone-hacking.He said Mr Cameron had ignored a warning from the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg about Coulson as well as media reports over Coulson's alleged knowledge of phone-hacking.
"Today we know that for four years the prime minister's handpicked, closest adviser was a criminal and brought disgrace to Downing Street," he told MPs."Today we know that for four years the prime minister's handpicked, closest adviser was a criminal and brought disgrace to Downing Street," he told MPs.
"We also know that the prime minister wilfully ignored multiple warnings about him.""We also know that the prime minister wilfully ignored multiple warnings about him."
Leveson InquiryLeveson Inquiry
The Labour leader said Coulson was given a lower level of security clearance than his immediate predecessors and as a result was subject to less thorough scrutiny.The Labour leader said Coulson was given a lower level of security clearance than his immediate predecessors and as a result was subject to less thorough scrutiny.
But Mr Cameron said Coulson had been vetted by the senior civil servant in No 10, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and that detailed facts about any involvement in phone-hacking would not have come out in the process.But Mr Cameron said Coulson had been vetted by the senior civil servant in No 10, Sir Jeremy Heywood, and that detailed facts about any involvement in phone-hacking would not have come out in the process.
He added: "Leveson made no criticism of my conduct in this regard whatsoever."He added: "Leveson made no criticism of my conduct in this regard whatsoever."
"He looked into all of the issues about the warnings I was given and the response I gave and he made no criticism of my conduct.""He looked into all of the issues about the warnings I was given and the response I gave and he made no criticism of my conduct."
The prime minister appointed Coulson as his media chief in July 2007 - six months after he had quit as News of the World editor and took him into Downing Street after becoming prime minister in 2010, only for him to resign in 2011 amid growing allegations about phone hacking during his time as editor.The prime minister appointed Coulson as his media chief in July 2007 - six months after he had quit as News of the World editor and took him into Downing Street after becoming prime minister in 2010, only for him to resign in 2011 amid growing allegations about phone hacking during his time as editor.
'Bad mistake''Bad mistake'
Writing in the Times, Conservative peer Lord Finkelstein, a former aide to Chancellor George Osborne, said the prime minister would feel "angry with himself" and faced "awkward" questions about his judgement.Writing in the Times, Conservative peer Lord Finkelstein, a former aide to Chancellor George Osborne, said the prime minister would feel "angry with himself" and faced "awkward" questions about his judgement.
He suggested that when Coulson had been hired in 2007 the issue of hacking "hardly came into it" since "it seemed in the past, the police having investigated, charged people and moved on".He suggested that when Coulson had been hired in 2007 the issue of hacking "hardly came into it" since "it seemed in the past, the police having investigated, charged people and moved on".
This attitude, he acknowledged, now looked "naive and almost wilfully ignorant".This attitude, he acknowledged, now looked "naive and almost wilfully ignorant".
He added: "By the time it came to appointing his Downing Street staff, Andy Coulson was no longer a stranger to the prime minister, someone whose CV should be pored over and references taken up. He had become a close, trusted aide during the years spent in opposition.
Analysis - BBC political editor Nick Robinson
David Cameron could have chosen not to ask his spin-doctor to enter government with him but he chose to ignore the flashing red lights.
He was warned not to by the press pursuing the story, by colleagues, by his coalition partners as well, of course, as the Labour Party.
He argues that that was because Coulson had proved himself to be competent and trustworthy.
Others will assert that Cameron was scared to break the link with the former tabloid editor who knew how to reach the parts of the electorate that he could not.
Coulson believes that if he had never crossed the threshold of No 10 he might not now be facing prison.
Without the link to Number 10 the hacking scandal might never have been front page news and the police would never have launched the massive investigation which is now being played out in court.
If David Cameron had simply thanked Coulson for his work in getting him to power but explained that their partnership could not survive he would still be facing embarrassment but not questions about why, as Labour leader Ed Miliband puts it, he brought a criminal into Downing Street.
"It was clearly a bad mistake not to have taken a more rigorous view at this point, but I see how it happened."
Former News of the World executive editor Neil Wallis said Labour, when it was in government, "did absolutely nothing" about the issue of press regulation.Former News of the World executive editor Neil Wallis said Labour, when it was in government, "did absolutely nothing" about the issue of press regulation.
"It was only after Rupert Murdoch changed sides and voted Tory in 2010 that the Labour Party starting screaming," he told Today. "The truth of the matter is that politicians will always try and cosy up to the press.""It was only after Rupert Murdoch changed sides and voted Tory in 2010 that the Labour Party starting screaming," he told Today. "The truth of the matter is that politicians will always try and cosy up to the press."