Coulson quits No 10 as phone-hacking row lingers

DOWNING Street communications chief Andy Coulson dramatically quit yesterday after admitting the News of the World phone-hacking row was making his job impossible.

In a personal statement, Coulson said the drip-drip of claims about illegal eavesdropping under his editorship meant he could not “give the 110% needed”.

“When the spokesman needs a spokesman it’s time to move on,” he added.

He said it had been a “privilege and an honour” to work for the Prime Minister for three-and-a-half years.

The Prime Minister said he was “very sorry” Coulson felt “compelled” to go after months of intense pressure, insisting he was being “punished for the same offence twice”.

But critics insisted the resignation was “long overdue”, and questioned David Cameron’s judgment in recruiting the former journalist in the first place.

The timing also sparked accusations the Government was trying to “bury bad news” while Tony Blair was appearing at the Iraq Inquiry, and with the furore over shadow chancellor Alan Johnson’s departure still raging.

Last week, Cameron refused to confirm or deny reports his communications director had offered to resign. But he conceded Coulson was “extremely embarrassed” about claims that he knew famous people’s phone voicemails were being accessed.

No decision has yet been taken on a replacement.

Coulson resigned as editor of the News of the World in 2007 after the paper’s former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for phone hacking.

Although he accepted ultimate responsibility for the illegal activities, he has always denied knowing they were taking place. A Scotland Yard investigation resulted in no further charges.

But a number of public figures are still taking civil legal action against the newspaper, and documents disclosed in those cases have sparked fresh developments.

It emerged earlier this month that News of the World executive Ian Edmondson has been suspended as a result of claims in a case brought by actress Sienna Miller.

Police subsequently wrote to the newspaper asking for any new evidence staff had on the case.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has asked a senior QC to “comprehensively” re-examine material amassed as part of the original inquiry and any new evidence.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “The cloud of allegations surrounding Andy Coulson’s tenure at the News of the World raised real questions about his ability to be at the heart of the Downing Street machine.”