Cameron promised to apologise if Coulson was found guilty of phone hacking

Andy Coulson, David Cameron’s former spin doctor, has this afternoon been found guilty of phone hacking while he was working at the News of the World.

It is worth remembering that in 2011, David Cameron promised the House of Commons a “profound apology” in the event of Coulson’s conviction, going so far to add that he would “not fall short”.

“I have said very clearly that if it turns out that Andy Coulson knew about the hacking at the News of the World, he will not only have lied to me, but he will have lied to the police, a select committee and the Press Complaints Commission, and of course perjured himself in a court of law. More to the point, if that comes to pass, he could also expect to face severe criminal charges.

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.

My responsibilities are for hiring him, and for the work he did at Downing Street.”

It’s time for Cameron to apologise.

UPDATE:

The verdicts for Coulson (guilty) and Rebekah and Charlie Brooks (both not guilty) came in during the Treasury questions today. Someone clearly told Ed Balls, who must have recalled that it was in fact George Osborne who hired Andy Coulson (as we’ve reported on LabourList before). Balls asked:

“Does the Chancellor accept that he has brought into disrepute the Office of the Chancellor and the Treasury for urging the Prime Minister, for his own reasons, to bring Mr. Coulson into Government? And has he not damaged his own reputation, and that of the Government?”

You can listen to the full exchange, including Osborne’s non-response, here (via The Spectator).