(Image source: The Guardian)

BY JUSTIN WHALEY

ANCHOR ALLIE SPILLYARDS

You're watching multisource world video news analysis from Newsy. 

British Prime Minister David Cameron is up against the ropes with a fuming Parliament  -- defending his decision to hire former News of the World editor Andy Coulson. Here’s Sky News with footage of Cameron’s statement regarding Coulson--

“I have said very clearly that if it turns out that Andy Coulson knew about the hacking of the News of the World, he will not have only lied to me, but he will have lied to the police, a select committee, to the press complaints commission, and of course perjured himself in a court of law. More to the point, if that comes to pass, he could expect to face severe criminal charges.”

Coulson left Cameron’s staff on the same day royal editor of News of the World, Clive Goodman, was jailed for the illegal phone-hacking scheme. The targets of those hacks? Reportedly -- former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, British celebrities, crime victims’ and dead soldier’s families, prominent military personnel -- even the royal family. The New York Times reports --

“The gathering of so many emotional issues, laced with big money deals, tabloid scandal and long-running British suspicion of the Murdoch machine, has crystallized into the most serious crisis of credibility and confidence of Mr. Cameron’s 15 months in office...”

It’s not just the phone-hacking link Cameron has to contend with. It’s potential influence-peddling allegation in his closest quarters. The Daily Beast says the whole ordeal isn’t just a potential catastrophe for Cameron, but also for the British media.

“The great danger of the phone-hacking scandal is that this connection has been seriously frayed. Everyone in Britain understands the need for politicians of every party to win over newspaper owners and their editors, even Rupert Murdoch. But there is also a hypocritical deal in place here -- that when you do so, you should do so with at least a display of reluctance.”

Particularly, when the same people allegedly involved in the phone hacking scandal -- were reportedly seeking support for a mega-media deal involving the purchase of BSkyB. Cameron’s cozy relationship with Murdoch insiders, was a point of contention for Labor Party members in today’s hearings.

“Asked three times to clarify whether the PM had discussed BSkyB with people who worked for News International, he would only say that he had had no ‘inappropriate conversations’ with them. Reading between the lines, Labour MPs will jump on this as evidence that the PM has discussed the BSkyB deal with News International employees.”(Sky News)

That issue of ‘appropriate vs. inappropriate’ discussions seems to be a sticking point for Cameron.  Listen to Labor reaction -- as seen on The Telegraph -- when Cameron distances himself from any linkage between the BSkyB deal and Downing Street.

“I never had one inappropriate conversation (roar of disapproval).  And let me be clear, let me be clear. I completely, I completely took myself out of any conversation about this bid.  I had no role in it.  I had no role in when the announcement was going to be made.  And that is the point.”

Cameron has said he’s considering getting government out of media takeover deals completely to get rid of suspicion.

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Transcript by Newsy.