Former Shrewsbury MP in phone hacking claim

A former Shropshire MP today revealed he is pursuing legal action against a reporter at the Daily Mirror over allegations of phone hacking.

Paul Marsden believes he may have been a victim of the practice in 2003.

"We have started those legal inquiries with a specific journalist and also the Mirror Group," said Mr Marsden. "If it turns out to be true I would like it exposed in a court of law. I want to know the truth."

Trinity Mirror, owners of the Daily Mirror, said in a statement: "Trinity Mirror's position is clear. Our journalists work within the criminal law and the Press Complaints Commission code of conduct."

Mr Marsden was elected Labour MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham in 1997, but left the party in 2001 because of his opposition to the war in Afghanistan and joined the Liberal Democrats.

In July 2004 he said he was retiring from politics and would not contest the next election. The following April he announced he was returning to Labour.

Previous legal proceedings regarding alleged phone hacking have focused on the News Of The World.

Writing about the issue on his blog, Mr Marsden claimed someone impersonated a police officer in an attempt to find out personal information about him while he was an MP in 2003.

"It caused a huge amount of upset and anxiety for my family," he wrote.

"I was then left wondering if someone was going to threaten myself or my family's security and we lived under siege for a while, fearing the worst."

Mr Marsden's claims came as the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would be expanding its review of phone hacking allegations to include any fresh claims made by potential new victims.