Report
Journalists and police have enjoyed a flirtatious relationship, the report suggested Reuters

A crackdown has been launched on the cosy relationship between police officers and journalists as the fallout from the phone hacking saga continues.

The former parliamentary commissioner for standards, Elizabeth Filkin, advised police officers in a report to avoid "flirting" and accepting alcohol from journalists.

The guide, issued by Scotland Yard, said officers would be urged to keep a note of conversations they had with journalists.

"Drinking with officers may be seen as inappropriate hospitality," her report said. "Mixing the media with alcohol is not banned but should be an uncommon even."

In her review of press-police relations in the wake of the phone-hacking revelations, Filkin said it was the view of many people that information was deliberately leaked for "various kinds of improper benefits".

She said there were serious issues relating to contact between journalists and police which eroded the trust ofm the public.

The report urges officers to watch out for "late-night carousing, long sessions, yet another bottle of wine at lunch - all long-standing media tactics to get you to spill the beans. Avoid."