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Nick Clegg yesterday gave his public backing to an independent investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World while it was run by the Government's communications director Andy Coulson. Mr Clegg said it was "totally legitimate" for Keir Starmer, the Director of Public Prosecutions, to review evidence suggesting journalists working for Mr Coulson illegally accessed voicemails of public figures.
His remarks came hours after David Cameron gave public support to Mr Coulson and called for him not to be punished twice for what had happened while he was editor of the paper. But Mr Cameron left open the possibility of Mr Coulson's resignation should new revelations come to light.
Mr Cameron said on the BBC that Mr Coulson was "embarrassed" by the continuing row and did not deny that he had offered to resign. But he added: "Obviously, when he was editor of the News of the World, bad things happened at that newspaper. I think the danger at the moment is that he is effectively being punished twice for the same offence.
"I gave him a second chance. I think that sometimes in life it is right to give someone a second chance."
Mr Coulson resigned from the paper in 2007 after its royal correspondent, Clive Goodman, was convicted of illegal phone hacking. Mr Coulson insisted he knew nothing of any crimes committed by his staff.