View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Coulson ‘received NoW payments after joining Tories’

By Press Gazette

A series of severance payments were made to former News of the World editor Andy Coulson for several months after he began working for the Tories, according to the BBC.

The instalments totalled the full entitlement under his two-year contract as editor of the now defunct tabloid which was published by News International, BBC correspondent Robert Peston has claimed. His salary as editor of the News of the World is believed to have been in excess of £200,000.

Peston’s report also alleged Coulson’s severance package included continued access to healthcare as well as keeping hold of his company car.

Prime Minister David Cameron now faces “serious questions” over the claims, according to the Labour Party.

A Labour spokesman said: “David Cameron now faces allegations that one of his top advisers was also in the pay of News International.

“The Prime Minister needs to immediately make clear whether these allegations are true.

“There are serious questions to answer about Mr Coulson’s employment in Downing Street and the country should not have to wait for full transparency.”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Coulson was hired by the Conservative party in July 2007 on a reported salary of £275,000, six months after he quit as editor of the Sunday newspaper when its royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for hacking into the voicemails of Buckingham Palace staff.

The Prime Minister took Coulson into government with him, putting him on the public payroll when he made him director of communications.

Coulson quit in January as pressure over phone-hacking continued to mount, saying it was distracting him from his role.

Last month he was arrested on suspicion of corruption and phone-hacking and was released on police bail until October.

A Conservative party spokeswoman said: “Senior party officials have no knowledge of Andy Coulson’s severance arrangements.”

A spokesman for News International said: “News International consistently does not comment on the financial arrangements of any individual.”

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network