by political editor Paul Francis

A Kent MP has welcomed the news that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has dropped its bid to take over BSkyB.

Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins, a member of the backbench select committee on the media, said:

"I think it is very sensible. The Prime Minister was right to say that now is not the time to be looking at taking over the rest of Sky.

"It should be focusing on the lessons to be learned and investigating the extent of the hacking scandal."

The news comes as MPs were due to debate the takeover and call for the bid to be abandoned.

Mr Collins said the events of the last few days had been extraordinary.

"Ten days ago, you would not have thought that we would be in this place.

"There are lessons for everyone in this. Parliament and the government should have acted earlier to have put in place the kind of inquiry we have now set up."

Asked if he thought it was right for Mr Cameron to bring Andy Coulson in as his press chief, he said: "David Cameron has said he acted on the basis of information that was given to him by Andy Coulson and that same information was given to the police and Parliament.

"If that information was wrong, the PM has said he would regret it, but it would be a matter for the police authorities. We have to judge him on the basis of the information he was given at the time."