Nick Clegg challenged on phone-hacking row

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today insisted it was for the police to decide how to proceed over the News of the World phone hacking row.

Mr Clegg, standing in for David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions, was asked whether he was "entirely satisfied" that No 10 communications chief Andy Coulson was unaware of the illegal activity while he was the newspaper's editor.

Shadow justice secretary Jack Straw said: "Do you expect us to believe that the only person who knew nothing about phone hacking at the News of the World was the editor, the very man who the Prime Minister has brought into the heart of this Government?"

Mr Clegg told him: "What I expect and hope you believe is that it is now for the police to investigate whether these new charges and allegations have anything to them."