Scotland Yard’s communications chief today denied a suggestion that he arranged for Rebekah Brooks to be loaned a police horse in return for securing work experience for his son.

A former News of the World executive arrested in relation to phone hacking was being questioned by detectives in custody today.

SCOTLAND YARD was accused of “a catalogue of failures” over the phone hacking investigation in a damning report by MPs that said up to 12,800 hacking cases may exist.

Scotland Yard was accused today of “a catalogue of failures” over the phone hacking investigation in a damning report by British MPs.