The end of the honeymoon?
By politics.co.uk staff
The Conservatives’ four-month honeymoon is threatening to come crumbling down under the combined weight of the William Hague affair and allegations about Andy Coulson’s role in phone hacking at the News of the World.
Mr Hague has been unable to draw a line under rumours of his relationship with aide Christopher Myers, despite taking drastic action to draw a line under the issue earlier in the week.
The two men shared a hotel room while working together, but questions about the relationship increased after he employed the 25-year-old as a special advisor – a role Mr Myers has quit in the wake of the row.
A highly charged personal statement from Mr Hague only managed to further highlight the story and senior figures in the Conservative party and the media are now questioning the judgement of the foreign secretary.
Meanwhile, the government was facing demands for a judicial review into continued allegations of phone hacking when Mr Coulson, now Downing Street communications boss, was editing the News of the World.
Inquiry demanded over phone hacking row
While the affair does not touch on the Tories directly, the allegation that Mr Coulson was aware of the practise being widespread while at the newspaper will cast doubt on the judgement of David Cameron, who employed him after discovering the original allegations.
