No 10 denies threats over newspaper probe

Downing Street was forced to defend its top spin doctor yesterday after he raised Leveson press reforms in a telephone call to the editor of a national newspaper about an unfavourable story it was planning to run.

No 10 insisted that Craig Oliver was highlighting concerns about the way the Daily Telegraph carried out its investigation into the expense claims of culture secretary Maria Miller rather than attempting to threaten the newspaper.

The director of communications reportedly told editor Tony Gallagher “she (Maria Miller) is looking at Leveson at the moment” during the call last Friday.