Labour is 'recycling' hack claims says Gove

Published on Sunday 5 September 2010 15:28

Allegations over phone-hacking at the News of the World are being "recycled" by Labour in the hope of embarrassing David Cameron and his communications chief Andy Coulson, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said that the claims that Mr Coulson knew of illegal interception of voicemail messages by journalists on the newspaper during his time as editor had been investigated by police, who found there was "no case to answer".

Mr Coulson has always strenuously denied knowing about the phone-hacking which led to a News of the World reporter and a private investigator being jailed in 2007. But the issue was revived last week by a New York Times report quoting former staff on the Sunday newspaper claiming the editor was aware of the practice and encouraged it.

A newspaper report yesterday claimed that the name of former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott was found on invoices to private investigator Glenn Mulcaire seized during the police inquiries. And another report alleged that former business secretary Lord Mandelson may also have been targeted.

Mr Gove yesterday suggested that the row had blown up because of media rivalry between the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, which like the News of the World is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation stable.

The Education Secretary said: "I have had a look at some of the press reports and there seems to be a recycling of allegations we have had before. Some people are making allegations, but it is striking that many of the people making allegations are Labour politicians, so there is an element of the party political about it."

Mr Gove said that a Commons committee had found no evidence Mr Coulson was involved in phone-hacking at the News of the World and said it was often overlooked that he nonetheless decided he should "carry the can" and resign as editor.