David Miliband: Coulson must go
Thursday, 9 September 2010 6:20 PM
Downing Street's under-fire communications director Andy Coulson should resign, David Miliband has told politics.co.uk.
The Labour leadership contender said Mr Coulson's alleged involvement in the phone hacking scandal engulfing Westminster meant he should not continue working in No 10.
"I think he should step aside while the investigations are concluded," Mr Miliband said of the former News of the World editor in an interview with politics.co.uk to be published next week.
He was joined by his brother Ed, who also demanded Mr Coulson's resignation.
"Given the cloud that now hangs over him, it seems impossible to believe that Andy Coulson can credibly continue as the director of communications for the British government," he said.
Mr Coulson faces renewed allegations that he was aware of widespread phone hacking during his time as editor of the News of the World tabloid.
"He can't be focusing on his job 100% of the time," Mr Miliband said. "He needs to step aside so the investigations can be completed."
But the prime minister's spokesman insisted this afternoon that Mr Coulson would stay in his position.
Mr Miliband's comments came shortly before MPs began debating the issue in the Commons, following the revelation from former Europe minister Chris Bryant that he had discovered his phone had been "intercepted" without the police informing him.
"It's a grotesque invasion of privacy," the shadow foreign secretary added, saying the matter "deserves more serious attention".
The frontrunner for the Labour leadership went further than rival Andy Burnham, who said he believed Mr Coulson's position was "becoming very difficult indeed".
"The question I had in my mind during prime minister's questions, when I saw Nick Clegg answering on the issue, was that Andy Coulson could have had a hand in preparing the lines that government ministers are using," Mr Burnham told the Metro newspaper.
"If he isn't voluntarily suspended I think the prime minister should ask him to step back from the role."
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