One of the Metropolitan Police's most senior officers, John Yates, has resigned over the phone-hacking scandal that has already claimed his boss' scalp.
Click the link below to SUBSCRIBE to the 'News of the World Phone Hacking' YouTube channel @
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?annotation_id=annotation_732456&am...
For upto date news on the hacking scandal, follow me on Twitter @
http://twitter.com/#!/NOTW_Hack_News
The assistant commissioner has come under increasing pressure over his failure to fully look at fresh claims about the News Of The World (NOTW) illegally accessing voicemails.
His resignation comes a day after commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson quit following criticism of the Met's decision to employ ex-NOTW deputy editor Neil Wallis as a public relations adviser.
Last week, Mr Wallis was arrested and then bailed by police investigating phone hacking claims.
There had also been questions about why Sir Paul had accepted free hospitality at a luxury health spa. He insisted he had done nothing wrong and his integrity remained intact.
Mr Yates resigned after being told he would be suspended as his conduct was being referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) confirmed.
There had been speculation his relationship with Mr Wallis may be investigated.
One MPA member Christopher Boothman said Mr Yates' position had become untenable in the wake of Sir Paul's resignation.
Also, Mr Yates has been recalled by a Commons committee investigating phone hacking so MPs can "clarify" the evidence he gave them last week.
He expressed regret at his decision in 2009 not to reopen the 2006 phone-hacking investigation when he appeared before the Home Affairs select committee last Tuesday.
The officer assessed the first inquiry into the practice for several hours two years ago but ruled there was nothing further worth acting upon.
Since then there have been allegations that almost 4,000 people may have had their phone hacked, including Milly Dowler and the families of 7/7 terror victims as well as the relatives of dead soldiers.
Mr Yates suggested the NOTW "failed to cooperate" with police until the start of this year and laid the blame at the paper's door.
Committee chairman Keith Vaz MP told Mr Yates last week that his evidence was "unconvincing" and warned him it was "not the end of the matter".
London Mayor Boris Johnson said it was right for both Sir Paul and Mr Yates to stand down.
He said:
"I believe that both decisions are regrettable but I would say that in both cases the right call has been made. There is absolutely nothing that has been proven against the probity or the professionalism of either man. But in both cases we have to recognise that the nexus of questions about the relationship between the Met and the News of the World was likely to be distracting to both officers in the run-up to the Olympic Games."
Monday 18th July 2011
