LONDON— The British prime minister’s communications chief Andy Coulson resigned on Friday, as prosecutors stepped up their inquiries into illegal phone tapping at a tabloid newspaper when he was editor.
The resignation of Mr. Coulson, a member of Prime Minister David Cameron’s inner circle, is likely to embarrass Mr. Cameron and call into question his judgement in appointing the editor of a newspaper embroiled in police investigations.
“We confirm Andy Coulson has resigned,” a spokesman for Mr. Cameron’s office said.
Mr. Coulson was appointed as Mr. Cameron’s media chief after he quit as editor of the News of the World tabloid in 2007 when one of the paper’s reporters was jailed for secretly listening to phone messages of royal household staff.
Mr. Coulson denies being aware of any wrongdoing at the paper, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp media group, and police said last month that there was not enough evidence to charge him with any crime.
British prosecutors said last week they would re-examine all material police held on alleged phone tapping.
The row comes at a sensitive time for News Corp which is waiting to hear if the British government will clear its planned $12 billion buyout of pay TV operator BSkyB or refer the deal to competition authorities for further investigation.
Mr. Cameron has repeatedly defended Mr. Coulson, and a Mr. Cameron spokeswoman had earlier on Friday said that Mr. Cameron had full confidence in Mr. Coulson and continued to do so.
© Thomson Reuters 2010
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