PM says phone hacking “rasies serious questions” as Lib Dems call for inquiry

From @LabourList

Gordon Brown has said this afternoon that the allegation of illegal phone-tapping by the News of the World “raises questions that are serious and will obviously have to be considered.”

Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said via Twitter that “David Cameron, the police and the Press Complaints Commission all have questions to answer in relation to today’s Guardian revelations.”

The Lib Dems’ Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne has written the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police calling for an investigation to assertain whether there had been a “neglect of duty” in the original police dealing with the case. Mr Huhne, who earlier called for the resignation of Tory Press guru Andy Coulson over the allegations, said an independent inquiry was more appropriate given the questions over the Met’s handing of the episode.

There’s been no public word from David Cameron this afternoon, who apparently remains “relaxed” and says Coulson’s job is safe.