Cameron & Coulson

Labour leadership contenders Ed Balls and Ed Miliband said David Cameron’s judgment was being called into question after claims the former newspaper’s editor, Andy Coulson, now No 10’s head of communications, had personally asked at least one member of staff to tap into someone’s phone. Balls called on Home Secretary Theresa May to make a statement to the House of Commons, while Ed Miliband said Downing Street should issue a “specific response” to the allegations, and warned: “Until that happens, a cloud will hang over both Andy Coulson and indeed the government, because this is the man in charge of the Downing Street media machine.” – The Herald

Today, the New York Times magazine publishes new evidence from journalists on the paper during Coulson’s editorship insisting that mobile phone-tapping was extensive, as initial Scotland Yard inquiries suggested, but which NI has consistently denied. NI argues that it was confined to former royal reporter Clive Goodman, who spent some months in prison for the offence which triggered Coulson’s own resignation. Last week, another reporter on the paper was suspended, again, we believe, for suspected telephone-tapping. Coulson has consistently said he knew nothing of more tapping beyond Goodman’s and refuses to comment further. – The Guardian

Dappy: I hate David Cameron

He and I end up loitering in an antechamber together; I grab the opportunity to ask him if he’s backing either of the Miliband brothers in the Labour leadership election battle. Who’s that then, darling?” he asks. David and Ed Miliband? “Never heard of them, darling.” Oh, but I think you all went to the same school. Not at that same time, but still… “Who again?” I google them on my iPhone and show Dappy the image results. He shakes his head. “Sorry, darling. I don’t know them.” But you’re a Labour supporter? “Very much so, darling! I liked Gordon. I could have done with more Gordon.” Not a fan of Cameron’s, then? “I hate David Cameron,” Dappy says, and tells me why in terms so libellous that they can’t be printed. – The Guardian

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The odd couple

Mr Miliband looks increasingly likely to appoint Mr Balls as his shadow chancellor if he wins the Labour leadership election. He used a television debate to heap praise on Mr Balls for his work in holding the Coalition to account over the economy. Mr Balls returned the favour yesterday by criticising Mr Miliband’s brother, Ed, who is the other main challenger in the race to succeed Gordon Brown. On the BBC’s Jeremy Vine Show, Mr Balls placed some of the blame on Ed Miliband, who was in charge of writing the party’s election manifesto, for the policies that came out of the No?10 “bunker” in the dying days of the Labour administration. – The Telegraph

Campaign poll

David Miliband took heart from a new YouGov poll which showed he was most likely to woo voters who rejected the party at the general election. The poll was commissioned by his campaign. It found 47% of respondents who had a view believe the shadow foreign secretary is the most effective alternative to Cameron — a 28 point lead over his nearest rival, his brother Ed, who scored 19%. Ed Balls trailed on 13%, with Diane Abbott and Andy Burnham on 11% and 10% respectively. – The Guardian

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