Red-faced PM blusters over Hunt

The PM stormed red-faced into the chamber after Speaker John Bercow granted Labour's demand for an urgent statement about Mr Hunt's role in News Corporation's BSkyB takeover bid.

Mr Cameron had to cut short a local election campaign visit to Buckinghamshire to explain why he had not ordered an inquiry into Mr Hunt's behaviour.

Labour has accused Mr Hunt of using his special adviser Adam Smith's resignation over his correspondence with Murdoch lobbyist Frederic Michel to wash his hands of the issue.

But Labour leader Ed Miliband called for Mr Hunt to go as he is responsible for Mr Smith's actions and is "in clear breach" of the ministerial code.

Mr Miliband has repeatedly called on the PM get his independent conduct advisor Sir Alex Allan to start a probe but Mr Cameron said that he'd wait until after Mr Hunt gives evidence to the Leveson inquiry.

Lord Leveson has previously said it isn't his job to judge Mr Hunt for breaking the ministerial code.

"Lord Justice Leveson is doing his job and it's time the PM did his," Mr Miliband said.

"We need a government that stands up for families not the rich and powerful.

"If Mr Hunt is that clueless about what was going on around him then he should be sacked anyway.

"The PM is defending the indefensible, protecting the jobs of his Cabinet while hundreds of thousands across the country are losing theirs.

"He is too close to a powerful few and out of touch with everybody else."

But the PM tried sweep it under the carpet.

"It's a serious issue but not as serious as the Eurozone, jobs and the national debt," Mr Cameron blustered.

willstone@peoples-press.com