British PM’s top aide was on News Corp. payroll while working for government

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Agence France-Presse

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, at the centre of phone hacking claims, was still being paid by the tabloid's owners while employed as the Conservative Party's media chief, the BBC said.

Coulson received several hundred thousand pounds in severance pay after he began work in July 2007 as the director of communications for Prime Minister David Cameron's party, who were then in opposition, the report said.

The 43-year-old was arrested in July in the probes into phone hacking and corruption at the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sunday tabloid and was released on bail until October. Coulson has always denied wrongdoing.

Coulson edited the News of the World from 2003 to January 2007, when he resigned after the tabloid's royal correspondent was jailed, along with a private investigator, for voicemail hacking.

More: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/08/23/british-pms-top-aide-was-on-news-corp-payroll-while-working-for-government/

[dipsydoodle]

1. Seems to have been contractural obligation

on News International's behalf. Don't really see the difference between what happened and the alternative of a lump sum day one a payout.