Andy Coulson and a 'noxious odour' from Number 10

Andy Coulson

The Daily Telegraph's inestimable chief political commentator Peter Oborne turns his attention once again to the matter of Andy Coulson.

Oborne identifies the former News of the World editor, and now the Prime Minister's head of communications, as one of the sources of a "noxious odour" emanating from Number 10 - a stench renewed by a claim that a senior Screws' editor appointed by Coulson is allegedly implicated in the illegal phone tapping of actors Sienna Miller, Jude Law and others.

Against experience and logic, Coulson maintains he had no personal knowledge of phone hacking at his paper, a claim which as Oborne puts it, "makes no sense to anybody with experience of how newspapers work." He adds: "This situation is very serious because it has the potential to do grave damage to the Prime Minister’s reputation not just for sound judgment, but also for probity."

An excellent commentary. Read here.