Yates and Stephenson resign; Boris and Cameron remain – for now

Pressure is mounting on Boris Johnson and David Cameron over the phone hacking scandal tonight, following the resignations of the Metropolitan Police's top two.

Pressure is mounting on Boris Johnson and David Cameron over the phone hacking scandal tonight, with people asking how it’s the case the Met’s top two police officers have lost their jobs yet the country’s two leading Tory politicians – and hack-deniers – remain in place, unrepentant, unapologetic, and under fire from their own side.

Senior Labour figures today came as close as they could to calling for the prime minister to consider his position without calling on him to resign – with the London Mayor similarly under attack for his own failure to take phone hacking seriously.

Onto Mr Cameron shortly, but first to Mr Johnson, who, let it be recalled, only last year said (pp 22-25, pdf) of the phone hacking scandal:

“I am completely satisfied [with the Met’s handling of the allegations].”

“[Labour are raising this] simply in order to score party political points against the prime minister’s press spokesman.”

“I think it looks like a politically motivated put up job.”

“This is completely spurious and political.”

“You are trying to make a song and dance about nothing in my view.”

“This is a load of codswallop cooked up by the Labour Party.”

“As far as I can see, this is something that has been already substantially investigated, where no new and interesting facts have been brought into the public domain and which is being whipped up by the Guardian and the Labour Party.”

“I have every confidence that the police will come to the right conclusion.”

The Mayor held a hastily-convened press conference at City Hall this afternoon, in which he was repeatedly challenged by journalists over his past comments, to which he appeared, for once, lost for words. Humiliated, he admitted he had “misunderstood the severity of the allegations”, and that “it became obvious the scandal was far worse than previously indicated”.

His belated contrition, however, isn’t washing.

His predecessor, and challenger for the Mayoralty next year, Ken Livingstone, told BBC News 24:

“I wasn’t Mayor when it blew up it blew up in 2009 when the guardian exposed the scale of it… They’ve both gone [Yates and Stephenson]; the politicians remain… He [Boris] said it was a load of old codswallop…

“Even after the news that Milly Dowler’s phone had been hacked he was defending them and called for Rebekah Brooks to stay… It looks like this is a coalition between the Conservative Party and News International.”

For Mr Cameron, meanwhile, the pressure rises with each day, each hourunder attack from his own MPs for going to Africa in the middle of the crisis and under fire from the Opposition, with Ed Miliband again demanding to be told who knew what and when over Andy Coulson’s dodgy past, and calling once again on the prime minister once to apologise for bringing such an individual into Downing Street.

While in a devastating editorial, the normally loyal Daily Telegraph today says:

“Far from easing the pressure on David Cameron, Sir Paul’s departure increases it. For nearly a fortnight now, Downing Street has had to have information dragged from it about the closeness of the Prime Minister’s relationship with News International and, in particular, Rebekah Brooks, who became the latest News International executive to be arrested yesterday.

“Ever since Mr Cameron made the fatal error of appointing Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor, as his press spokesman, the waters of this murky affair have been lapping at his feet. They show no sign of receding. If anything, they are rising.”

This evening, Labour figures, in Parliament to the media are asking why different rules apply to the prime minister than the head of the Met, who in his resignation statement last night, pointedly said:

“Unlike Mr Coulson, Mr Wallis had not resigned from the News of the World or, to the best of my knowledge, been in any way associated with the original phone hacking investigation.”

Quite.

Mr Cameron’s brand as a competent politician of sound judgment has been seriously undermined by this episode; if it emerges he knew more than he is letting on, it would be very serious for him indeed.

Left Foot Forward will have further coverage of the phone hacking scandal tomorrow – including Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks’s appearances before the culture, media and sport select committee.

49 Responses to “Yates and Stephenson resign; Boris and Cameron remain – for now”

  1. Selohesra

    Why has Ed Balls been so quiet throughout all this – he is Labours best attack dog afterall. Has he been sidelined by Milliblank so he can claim glory or are there there some sordid secrets about Balls that prevent him running with this story?

  2. Leon Wolfson

    Anon – It’s equally factually true that I’m a mouthpiece for new labour (who I have no use for) as you’re a mouthpiece for the BNP. If you repeat yourself on the matter again, I’ll take my statement as true.

    You are, again, telling people to hurt themselves for no gain. Typical Tory.
    Crack that whip, hurt those poor!

  3. Anon E Mouse

    Leon Wolfson – If you expect anyone reading this blog to believe you didn’t vote for New Labour at the last election you’re reaching.

    You can take anything you say as true if you wish – next you’ll be telling everyone cutting 10p tax didn’t hurt the poor. You cracked that whip and hurt the poor, you have form here.

    Labour rewarded the bankers and big business like no other government before them, their Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman is landed gentry of the old type and Ed Miliband, the tax avoiding property millionaire, hasn’t done a single days work in his life – hardly in keeping with the traditions of the working classes.

    Finally please explain why stopping giving money to the Murdoch’s would hurt anyone but them?

    It’s just an excuse and everyone knows it – pressure worked on the NOTW so why not this?

    It’s called integrity and principal Leon Wolfson. Not that I’d expect to see anything of the sort from a New Labour lickspittle who voted Gordon Brown like you did. You voted for him – he was New Labour.

    The facts speak for themselves…

  4. Leon Wolfson

    Ah right, so the BNP man is whining because I won’t stop disagreeing with his nonsense, or keep on posting those pesky facts.

    Of course the Tories didn’t push for even more deregulation of the banks.
    Of course the Bank crisis was restricted to this country.
    Of course when you hurt the poor, it’s not bad.
    Of course principle and integrity mean exactly what you say they are.

    We can’t be having no facts around Griffin’s boys.

    Your kind have twice failed to kill me in ambushes, and I’m sure you’re up for the third. I’ll be making sure I keep to the major roads, and a screamer in the pocket.

  5. Anon E Mouse

    Leon Wolfson – Excuses from the New Labour lacky. Here are the pesky facts.

    FACT 1. The banks were deregulated by New Labour. (The Tories weren’t in power).
    FACT 2. The structural deficit of this country was only created in this country by New Labour with Gordon Brown claiming he’d ended “Boom And Bust” and ran a deficit since 2003 and PFI money wasting.
    FACT 3. How could I hurt the poor? The 10p Tax removal was done by Labour. Have you never heard of John Cruddas?

    If I claimed to dislike Murdoch I wouldn’t support him. All you are doing is excusing inaction. (Again).

    I have no idea what on earth you’re on about in your last paragraph but may I suggest you see a doctor ASAP and try to avoid being “ambushed”.

    This is the United Kingdom Leon Wolfson not some plot from a Hollywood movie. Grow up…

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