Judge to head News of the World hacking inquiry - Cameron

 A judge will lead a public inquiry into the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World, the prime minister said. 

David Cameron defended his decision to appoint Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor, as director of communications, a job he later quit.

Labour leader Ed Miliband had called on the PM to apologise for the "appalling error of judgement" in employing Mr Coulson, editor from 2003 to 2007.Mr Coulson is being held over hacking - he denies knowing it was happening.

Mr Coulson, 43, was arrested by detectives investigating allegations of hacking the phones of various people in the news and is also being questioned about corruption allegations.Mr Cameron said: "I became friends with him and I think he did his job for me in a very effective way. He became a friend and he is a friend."
On Thursday News International shut down the News of the World following a spate of fresh revelations.
The 168-year-old tabloid is accused of hacking into phones of crime victims, celebrities and politicians. Police have identified 4,000 possible targets.

Mr Cameron said a second inquiry would look at the ethics and culture of the press and he also said the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) would be scrapped, adding: "I believe we need a new system entirely."
He also questioned the tenability of Rebekah Brooks as News International chief executive considering she was editor of the News of the World at the time of Milly Dowler's phone being hacked.

Continued at  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14081817