Get on with it, say Green’s friends over porn inquiry

AN INQUIRY into claims extreme pornography was found on Damian Green’s computer has dragged on for too long, friends of the de facto deputy prime minister have suggested amid reports Lord Hague is being lined up as his replacement.

Those close to the First Secretary of State insist the probe, which has been going on since the start of November, must conclude “as soon as possible”.

It came as Mr Green appeared to have retreated from his previous outright denial. In a statement issued on Nov 4 he said: “The police have never suggested to me that improper material was found on my Parliamentary computer, nor did I have a ‘private’ computer as has been claimed.” However, he appeared to shift ground after Sir Paul Stephenson, the former Metropolitan commissioner, confirmed on Nov 12 that he was informed that detectives had found pornographic material on a work computer seized when Mr Green was a shadow minister.

Mr Green issued a statement on Friday which said: “As I have said throughout I did not put or view pornography on the computers taken from my office.”

Sources were quoted by The Sunday Times as saying that Mrs May would like Lord Hague of Richmond to become her deputy if Mr Green leaves.

A Whitehall inquiry into Mr Green is examining the computer claims alongside an investigation into a claim that he made an inappropriate advance to Kate Maltby, the journalist, which he has described as “untrue and deeply hurtful”.

It is understood that Mr Green maintains he has not changed his position on the matter relating to the computer.