Met Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates has resigned as the phone-hacking scandal fall-out continues.
He checked the credentials of Neil Wallis before the Met employed the ex-News of the World executive, arrested last week over hacking allegations.Mr Yates indicated his intention to resign to the chairman of the Met Police Authority, which was accepted.
Mr Yates's decison to quit comes after Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson resigned on Sunday.
The resignation of Sir Paul, the most senior policeman in Britain, came after he faced criticism for the recruitment of Mr Wallis as a PR consultant.
Mr Wallis, a former NoW deputy editor, was arrested and released on bail on Thursday on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications.
Mr Yates's resignation came after he was informed he would be suspended pending an inquiry into his relationship with Mr Wallis.
The officer had been confronted with new information about the friendship between the two men, sources told BBC political editor Nick Robinson.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson's spokesman said Mr Yates's decision to resign was "regrettable, but the right call".
Scotland Yard said in a statement: "Assistant Commissioner John Yates has this afternoon indicated his intention to resign to the chair of the MPA.
"This has been accepted. AC Yates will make a statement later this afternoon."
In other developments on Monday:
- David Cameron said the Commons would be recalled on Wednesday to debate the latest developments in the phone-hacking scandal
- Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks confirmed she would appear before a committee of MPs on Tuesday, alongside Rupert and James Murdoch, despite her arrest and questioning by police on Sunday
- The Serious Fraud Office said it would give "full consideration" to a request by Labour MP Tom Watson to investigate out-of-court settlements made to hacking victims
- Shares in News Corporation dropped by 7.6% to a two-year low in trading in Australia
No comments:
Post a Comment