“This is a very serious conspiracy at the heart of the newspaper industry and I think it was right to pursue it like they have done.” Lord Blair said he had never been told that phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire had targeted people in the witness protection scheme.
Deputy PM Nick Clegg confirmed he was unhappy with Andy Coulson, who has been convicted over phone hacking, being hired as No 10’s director of communications but said he did not have a right to veto Tory appointments.