COULSON

Mr. Cameron conceded that in hindsight it had been a mistake to hire Mr. Coulson.

The two men had worked together at the Sun newspaper and then Mr. Coulson had hired him to the News of the World, Mr. Hoare told the BBC.

Similarly, he probably hired Mr Coulson not through any amoral calculation but because he did not think through the risks involved.

But before we ask why he played the martyr, let's accept Coulson's claim that he did not know what was happening on his watch.

Coulson resigns immediately saying he took "ultimate responsibility" .

Andy Coulson, a close aide to David Cameron, said he gave his reporters freedom to operate and did not attempt to micro-manage every story.

Had Mr Cameron made such an appointment in 2007, instead of Mr Coulson, he would not be in such a mess now.

Coulson also points to a flaw in auction procedure that lets truant buyers off the hook: houses do not have to honor most defaulted bids.

Mr Coulson, who has said that he was unaware of his reporter's activities, is now Mr Cameron's director of communications.

Mr. Coulson at the time denied that he knew about the hacking, but said he resigned because it happened on his watch.

His choice of Craig Oliver, a former broadcast journalist, as Mr Coulson's replacement underlines the point.

The prime minister should send the Guardian flowers: if Mr Coulson were still in office, his whole government would be in crisis.

Imagine how bad it would look if Coulson -- now subject to a criminal investigation himself -- was still on the prime minister's payroll.

Many Tories believe they would have won the general election outright had Mr Coulson run the campaign himself.

Andy Coulson, then editor of the News of the World, resigned, but said he didn't know about the phone hacking.

So far, the allegations have failed to implicate the former NoW editor Andy Coulson.

Andy Coulson, who resigned as editor of the News of the World in 2007, went on to run David Cameron's communications machine.

if the latest hacking allegations stand up, her position looks at least as compromised as Mr Coulson's was in 2007.

But Mr Coulson's tenure there was the source of immense controversy, which still dogs him and the government for which he now works.

That timidity has led him to some of his worst mistakes, from policy U-turns to embracing Mr Coulson.

Mr Coulson says he resigned to take responsibility for what happened "on his watch" , but knew nothing of the illegal voicemail hacking.

After a furore in Parliament, John Yates, an assistant commissioner of the Met, said his force would be speaking to Mr Coulson.

", to which Coulson replied: " I do not recall specific circumstances where I did.

The prime minister's continued refusal to apologise for appointing Mr Coulson looks bizarre in light of recent revelations.

Again, Mr Coulson denied knowing about this while he was editor.

Even so, Mr Coulson's old publication stands out, routinely crushing rivals with a blend of hard work, money and cunning.

Early this year Mr Coulson, hounded by questions about his complicity, resigned as the prime minister's spokesman.

At the time Mr Coulson resigned the editorship but denied knowing that such activities were happening on his watch.

David Cameron appoints Coulson as the Conservative party's director of communications and planning, a newly-created post.

Once again, Mr Coulson denied this, declaring himself happy to answer any questions the police may have.

The most sensitive was his decision to make Andy Coulson, a former News of the World editor, his communications director in Downing St.

The editor at the time was Andy Coulson, who has denied knowledge of illegal practices while he was at the helm of News of the World.

Mr Coulson, the product of an Essex comprehensive school, has a feel for the popular mood.

Mr. Coulson again resigned in January of this year amid the escalating phone-hack scandal.

Cameron is fortunate that Coulson left Downing Street earlier this year, largely because he could not escape his tabloid past.

But let us not overlook that Coulson's resignation was hugely beneficial to News International.

On Friday, British police arrested Andy Coulson, former editor of Britain's best-selling newspaper, News of the World.

Mr Coulson has long been regarded by many insiders as the most effective member of Mr Cameron's back-room team.

Mr Coulson was duly made Downing Street's director of communications after Mr Cameron became prime minister in May.

Mr Cameron has been heavily criticised for employing Mr Wallis' boss, News of the World editor Andy Coulson, as his communications chief.

Mr. Coulson resigned from News of the World in two thousand seven.

Coulson, the former editor the News of the World, was arrested Friday.

Earlier this month, police arrested Mr. Coulson on suspicion of phone hacking.

The Reuters news agency reported that Mr. Coulson was released on bail until a date in October.

But he himself is facing attention for having asked Andy Coulson to serve as his media adviser.

Later it also emerged that Andy Coulson had hired Wallis to advise the Conservatives before the election.

News of the World editor Andy Coulson resigns after Goodman is sentenced.

Coulson was arrested Friday over fresh allegations he authorized cash payments of around $160, 000 to police in return for stories.

Cameron unbelievably still describes Coulson as a 'friend': 'Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. '

Now Mr Coulson faces fresh allegations that could blow apart his "I know nothing" defence.

Cameron has acknowledged that he met Coulson since his resignation, but "not recently and not frequently" .

Mr. Coulson later became a communications advisor to Mr. Cameron, helping him become prime minister.

Coulson was arrested and released on bail last month.

Coulson was editing the paper at this time.

'Mistakes made in the Philippines were not unique to the Philippines, ' Mr. Coulson added.

Mr Coulson came from the world of celebrity news.

"I am afraid not, no, " Coulson said.

Prescott said David Cameron should consider sacking Coulson following the Guardian's phone-hacking revelations

Andy Coulson resigns; the Met reopens its inquiry; News International changes tack: the hacking scandal is back

IMG Director of Operations Neil Coulson Explaining the Surrounding Real Estate