Theresa May denies News International pressured her for renewed Madeleine probe

Theresa May today denied claims that News International pressured her into launching a fresh inquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

The Home Secretary rebuffed suggestions made at the Leveson Inquiry that she was told they would "put her face on the front page every day" until she gave in to their demands for a new investigation.

Mrs May insisted phone calls discussing the plans for the Scotland Yard review with former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and Sun editor Dominic Mohan were at "her instigation".

She said preparations for the new investigation began under the previous government and the work was simply coming to fruition when the announcement was made.

Mrs May told the inquiry: "Neither Mrs Brooks nor Mr Mohan made any indication of that sort to me.

"The nature of these conversations was to alert them to the fact that the Government was taking some action, there was going to be some further work by police here in the UK and to put forward the point that it was very important that the UK authorities were able to work with the Portuguese authorities."

The inquiry heard that the Home Office's work was "coming to fruition around this time and obviously the issue was of public interest".

"The Home Office first started discussing with Acpo (Association of Chief Police Officers) the possibility of a police review or further police work on this ... under the previous government."

The Home Secretary said David Cameron was "interested in this specific issue", but said she could not recall "having a specific discussion myself" with the Prime Minister about whether the Met should carry out its own review.

Mrs Brooks denied bullying the Government over the issue when she appeared before the inquiry earlier this month.

PA