Public Confidence in the Media and Police

Jack Dromey Excerpts

Wednesday 20th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The exchanges will not continue until we have order. It is pretty straightforward.

[Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab)]

To hire the hackers of Milly Dowler meant either that Andy Coulson was guilty of being complicit in a corrupt culture, or that he presided over acts of pure evil. What were the warnings given to the Prime Minister by the Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Ashdown not to appoint Andy Coulson, and why did he ignore those warnings?

[The Prime Minister]

We do still have in this country the idea that you are innocent until you are proven guilty. Now, as I have said, I hired Andy Coulson on the basis of assurances that he gave me that he did not know about hacking. After all, that is why he resigned as editor of the News of the World. And incidentally, after he resigned, who was the very first person to ring him up and wish him well? Any guesses? Gordon Brown.