24 June 2014updated 24 Jun 2021 12:59pm

David Cameron’s “full and frank apology” for hiring Andy Coulson

The prime minister makes his long-promised apology after his former communications director was found guilty of phone hacking.

By New Statesman

In 2011, in the House of Commons, David Cameron said of his former communications director Andy Coulson:

I have an old-fashioned view about innocent until proven guilty. But if it turns out I have been lied to, that would be the moment for a profound apology. In that event, I can tell you I will not fall short.

With the news today that Coulson has been found guilty of phone hacking at the Old Bailey, this profound apology was now due. Here it is:

Transcript:

David Cameron I take full responsibility for employing Andy Coulson. I did so on the basis of undertakings I was given by him about phone hacking and those turned out not to be the case. I always said that if they turned out to be wrong that I would make a full and frank apology and I do that today. I am extremely sorry that I employed him. It was the wrong decision and I’m very clear about that.

Interviewer What did he say and what do you ask him exactly about phone hacking and his knowledge of it?

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DC I asked him questions about if he knew about phone hacking and he said that he didn’t and I accepted those assurances and I gave him the job. I would say that no one has made any complaints about the work that he did for me either as Leader of the Opposition or indeed here in Number 10 Downing Street, but knowing what I now know and knowing that those assurances weren’t right it was obviously wrong to employ him. I gave someone a second chance and it turned out to be a bad decision.

Update, 14:30.

George Osborne has now added his apology to the PM’s, issuing the following statement:

I too am very sorry for the decision we made to employ Andy Coulson. He gave us assurances that turned out not to be the case. We gave him a second chance but, knowing what we now know, it’s clear that we made the wrong decision.

It’s important for the victims of phone hacking that this has now been properly dealt with by the courts; and it matters for us all that we have a free and vibrant press which operates within the law.