Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has resigned amid claims relating to the phone hacking scandal.
In a statement to announce his departure, Sir Paul said:
“I’ve taken this decision as a consequence of the ongoing speculation and accusations relating to the Met’s links with News International at a senior level and in particular, with relation to Mr Neil Wallis who as you know was arrested as part of Operation Weeting last week.”
Sir Paul had been criticised after Mr Wallis, a former deputy editor of the News Of The World, was hired by the Met in a public relations role. He said:
“In 2009 the Met entered into a contractual arrangement with Neil Wallis, terminating in 2010. I played no role in the letting or management of that contract.”
He also emphasised he had no reason to suspect Mr Wallis had any knowledge of phone hacking:
“I have heard suggestions that we must have suspected the alleged involvement of Mr Wallis in phone hacking. Let me say unequivocally that I did not and had no reason to have done so. I do not occupy a position in the world of journalism; I had no knowledge of the extent of this disgraceful practice and the repugnant nature of the selection of victims that is now emerging; nor of its apparent reach into senior levels”
He also denied there had been any wrongdoing relating to his use of the Champney’s health farm for whom Mr Wallis had been working in a PR role:
“There has been no impropriety and I am extremely happy with what I did and the reasons for it – to do everything possible to return to running the Met full time,significantly ahead of medical, family and friends’ advice. The attempt to represent this in a negative way is both cynical and disappointing.”
Sir Paul had also faced criticism over the original investigation into phone hacking.
His resignation came just hours after it emerged former News International Chief Executive, Rebekah Brooks had been arrested in connection with phone hacking.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson told Sky News he had accepted his resignation with “great sadness and reluctance” and said there was “no question about his personal integrity.”
Mr Johnson said Sir Paul had not wanted to be a distraction for the force in the run up to next year’s Olympic games.
Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee said he was “very shocked” at the Commissioner’s resignation.
Mr Vaz told Sky News Sir Paul would still appear in front of the committee on Tuesday as scheduled.
Sir Paul said it had been an “enormous privilege” to lead the Met.
The Sky News