Hunt - 'Look again' after Leveson

Nick Clegg says "we need to get to the truth" of the culture secretary's handling of the BSkyB bid.

But he is backing the prime minister's insistence that the best way to do that is for Jeremy Hunt to be cross examined at the Leveson Inquiry having provided evidence of his and his office's contacts with News Corp.

Speaking to me in an interview the deputy prime minister says that "by all means let's look again after that has happened".

You can watch what Mr Clegg had to say about Mr Hunt here shortly. For the moment, though, here's a transcript:

Q: What do you say to the charge that the Prime Minister is covering up the culture secretary's relationship with the Murdoch empire?

Clegg: I think the thing we need to do in this, obviously, and this is where I actually entirely agree with Simon Hughes and the sort of principle he was putting forward is that we need to get to the truth, of course you need the truth.

The question is how do you get to the truth - then of course you can have a debate about whether you this process, or that process or this inquiry or that investigation.

The fact is that Jeremy Hunt has already explained himself to Parliament and crucially he's going before the Leveson inquiry where he has to give under oath to a judge and that's why I want that to happen as quickly as possible as I know he does as well.

Q: Do you think he's got serious questions to answer still?

Clegg: Well I think it's right he has to go to the Leveson inquiry to reveal all, and he himself has said that's what he wants to do and unless anyone has got a better idea I think having a judge where a cabinet minister needs to give evidence under oath is about the best context to really get down to find out what happened or what didn't happen.

Q: There is a code of practice of ministers. Why not see if it's been broken?

Clegg: Well because I think we've already got an agreement Jeremy Hunt will go the Leveson pretty quickly - I would like it to happen as quickly as possible - by all means let's look again after that has happened and after Jeremy Hunt has given his evidence to Leveson.

But I think having a multitude of different inquiries, evidence sessions they'll just sort of, you know.. ... you'll get crossed wires. Let's get to the bottom of exactly what happened, or what didn't happen by hearing what Jeremy Hunt has to say before Lord Justice Leveson.

Q. And after that evidence is presented, a final verdict can be reached on whether Jeremy Hunt deserves to keep his job?

Clegg: I think it's really important that the Leveson Inquiry is able to get to the bottom of exactly what did and didn't happen