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6 July 2011
Last updated at 07:40 ET
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Ed Miliband urges David Cameron to appoint a judge to lead an inquiry into phone hacking allegations
David Cameron has promised to set up a public inquiry into alleged phone hacking at the News of the World.
The prime minister said claims Milly Dowler's voicemail had been hacked were "disgusting" and had caused "revulsion" among the public.
But he told MPs an inquiry could not take place until police investigations were concluded.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron was "out of touch" and an inquiry should be set up sooner.
It is claimed that murdered teenager Milly Dowler's voicemail was hacked in 2002 by an investigator working for the News of the World, with some of the messages deleted.
Amid noisy scenes at Prime Minister's Questions Mr Cameron said: "We do need to have an inquiry, possibly inquiries, into what has happened.
"We are no longer talking here about politicians and celebrities, we are talking about murder victims, potentially terrorist victims, having their phones hacked into.
"It is absolutely disgusting, what has taken place, and I think everyone in this House and indeed this country will be revolted by what they have heard and what they have seen on their television screens."
'Encouraged' But he added that an inquiry could not happen yet, saying: "There's a major police investigation under way. It's one of the biggest police investigations currently under way in our country."
Mr Miliband said he was "encouraged" by Mr Cameron's comments but added that it was "possible for the prime minister to start the process now".
He recommended appointing a senior figure, such as a judge, to begin work on looking at "culture and practices" in the newspaper industry.
Mr Miliband also urged Mr Cameron to back his call for Rebekah Brooks, editor of the News of the World at the time of the alleged hacking of Milly's phone, to resign as chief executive of the paper's owner, News International.
The prime minister said that, first, "we should let the police do their work".
The Labour leader also questioned Mr Cameron's judgement in hiring another former News of the World editor, Andy Coulson, as his director of communications, after he resigned in 2007 over the phone hacking scandal.
He said: "He's got to accept that he made a catastrophic error of judgement by bringing Andy Coulson into the heart of the Downing Street machine."
Mr Coulson resigned from his government post in January this year, saying the ongoing revelations were making it impossible to do his job.
MPs will hold further discussions on phone hacking from 1330 BST, after Commons Speaker John Bercow granted an emergency debate
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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.Ed Miliband urges David Cameron to appoint a judge to lead an inquiry into phone hacking allegations
David Cameron has promised to set up a public inquiry into alleged phone hacking at the News of the World.
The prime minister said claims Milly Dowler's voicemail had been hacked were "disgusting" and had caused "revulsion" among the public.
But he told MPs an inquiry could not take place until police investigations were concluded.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron was "out of touch" and an inquiry should be set up sooner.
It is claimed that murdered teenager Milly Dowler's voicemail was hacked in 2002 by an investigator working for the News of the World, with some of the messages deleted.
Amid noisy scenes at Prime Minister's Questions Mr Cameron said: "We do need to have an inquiry, possibly inquiries, into what has happened.
"We are no longer talking here about politicians and celebrities, we are talking about murder victims, potentially terrorist victims, having their phones hacked into.
"It is absolutely disgusting, what has taken place, and I think everyone in this House and indeed this country will be revolted by what they have heard and what they have seen on their television screens."
'Encouraged' But he added that an inquiry could not happen yet, saying: "There's a major police investigation under way. It's one of the biggest police investigations currently under way in our country."
Mr Miliband said he was "encouraged" by Mr Cameron's comments but added that it was "possible for the prime minister to start the process now".
He recommended appointing a senior figure, such as a judge, to begin work on looking at "culture and practices" in the newspaper industry.
Mr Miliband also urged Mr Cameron to back his call for Rebekah Brooks, editor of the News of the World at the time of the alleged hacking of Milly's phone, to resign as chief executive of the paper's owner, News International.
The prime minister said that, first, "we should let the police do their work".
The Labour leader also questioned Mr Cameron's judgement in hiring another former News of the World editor, Andy Coulson, as his director of communications, after he resigned in 2007 over the phone hacking scandal.
He said: "He's got to accept that he made a catastrophic error of judgement by bringing Andy Coulson into the heart of the Downing Street machine."
Mr Coulson resigned from his government post in January this year, saying the ongoing revelations were making it impossible to do his job.
MPs will hold further discussions on phone hacking from 1330 BST, after Commons Speaker John Bercow granted an emergency debate
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