Sir Paul Stephenson turns on David Cameron

[rpannier]

Britain's top police officer has resigned and turned on the prime minister in a dramatic escalation of the phone hacking scandal.

In a carefully-worded resignation speech that appeared aimed directly at Downing Street, Sir Paul Stephenson, the commissioner of the Metropolitan police, said the prime minister risked being "compromised" by his closeness to former News of the World editor Andy Coulson.

snip

"Once Mr Wallis's name did become associated with Operation Weeting , I did not want to compromise the prime minister in any way by revealing or discussing a potential suspect who clearly had a close relationship with Mr Coulson," he said.

snip

Senior police sources confirmed the attack had been intentional and showed the anger at Scotland Yard that Stephenson has been willing to resign over the scandal while the political class has failed to take responsibility in the same way. An ally of Stephenson said: "The commissioner thought if the prime minister is happy employing Andy Coulson, and Neil Wallis has bid the lowest price, what reason would we have not to employ him?"

link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/18/sir-paul-stephenson-turns-david-cameron

[Major Hogwash]

1. Plain and simple: Cameron's a crook.

And although the circus-like tabloid atmosphere of England is going to smear Stephenson, he can stay above it and just tell everyone else to bugger off!!

Good for him.
Bloody well done, mate.

[RandySF]

2. Could this be big enough to take Cameron down?

[malaise]

6. Yes

and Cameron knows he is in deep trouble. Even his beloved Tory Telegraph is now discussing this possibility.
Brooks is married to Cameron's good friend and the incestuous cronies all live in the same neighbourhood

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/14/cameron-brooks-special-relationship
<snip>
But MPs could usefully explore the Cameron-Brooks relationship a little more closely. On the subject of Christmas alone, they might ask Brooks how many times she saw her near neighbour altogether over the festive break. I have heard the two attended a second function on Boxing Day, though Brooks may or may not have left it before the prime minister arrived.

More significantly, just how much did Brooks see of Cameron until he publicly expunged her from his Christmas card list last Friday? The News International chief executive has told friends that she doesn't need to visit Downing Street to see the prime minister because she sees so much of him in the more convivial surroundings of north Oxfordshire.

In fact Brooks and James Murdoch, Rupert's embattled sometime heir presumptive, have deliberately avoided visits to No 10, to avoid drawing attention to their cosy relationship with Camer-lot, and were disapproving when Murdoch Sr insisted on taking up an invitation to visit the new prime minister days after moving into No 10.

The prime minister's aquiantance with Brooks's husband, Charlie, stretches back to the playing fields of Eton, but so attentive has Brooks been to the Camerons since David was elected Tory leader that Samantha Cameron has taken to referring to her as one of "our new friends". The committee could do worse than ask the straightforward question: how many times has Brooks seen the prime minister, officially or socially, since the election? And, while they're about it, when was the last time the pair met? The Guardian tried asking No 10 that question earlier this week but "the most open and transparent government in the world" was not forthcoming.
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Truth will out!

[Stuart G]

7. I am wating and hope so.. popcorn please

:popcorn:

[malaise]

10. Look for another resignation today - John Yates

Another Guardian colleague tells me that he has heard from a source who is normally reliable that John Yates will resign later today. I'm sorry I can't tell you any more. This is not confirmation that he will definitely go, but - knowing a bit more about where this is coming from than I'm in a position to disclose - I'm taking it very seriously.

---------
Yates will be speaking later - another one bites the dust

[GliderGuider]

12. I saw the Guardian's LiveBlog rumour to that effect a little earlier.

I haven't had this much fun since watching John Dean testify.

[malaise]

14. Lots more fun to come - Yates, James Murdoch will be

removed as Chairman of BSkyB and Cameron is up shit creek without a paddle.
By resigning over Wallis, Stephenson has fugged him up completely.

[malaise]

16. Yates has resigned

Next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rofl:

[GliderGuider]

18. Yessss!!!!!!!

The dominos are falling!

[JDPriestly]

3. Wow! Is Stephenson "warning" the Prime Minister?

Does Stephenson know a lot more about Cameron's ties to News of the World than Stephenson has stated?

Makes me wonder.

Stephenson's statement is ambiguous.

Who knows what he is hinting at, but he appears to be meaning more than he is saying. I could easily be wrong about this. What do you think, DUers?

[global1]

4. I Just Wonder Who That's Been Arrested Or Resigned Will Be The One To Blow This.......

whole scandal wide open. I was shocked to hear that it involved Scotland Yard (SY). If it took somebody out in SY there's really a lot more than meets the eye now to come out. No telling where it will go and who it will take down.

[formercia]

9. The vast majority in Scotland Yard are honest Cops

and they no doubt, have been waiting for this to break. It's going to hit the fan now. All of the people that have been holding back for fear of retaliation are going to come out of the woodwork.

I'll have extra Butter on my Popcorn, Thank You.

[Arctic Dave]

5. Holy moly, is this a threat?

Unsheathe the knives boys, it's going to get real.

[myrna minx]

8. Wow. I'm speechless.

:nuke:

[malaise]

11. Lots of hints that James Murdoch will be removed as

Chairman of BSkyB.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2011/jul/18/phone-hacking-scandal-live-coverage

Move from the fan!!!

[myrna minx]

17. If I see a pattern here, this means handcuffs aren't far behind.

:hi:

[Tatiana]

13. Wow. It must be nice for our British friends to know they still have a functioning media.

The Guardian has been absolutely stellar... kudos to them for blowing the lid off this scandal. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

I wonder if this is big enough to bring Cameron down. I think Murdock's son is going to bite the dust soon; it will be interesting to see who they replace him with, if that is the case.

[malaise]

15. Coming up live- Boris Johnson London Mayor's press conference

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14183281

The Metropolitan Police Authority statement, which we were expecting about now, will follow a press conference by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

:popcorn:

[Aerows]

19. And more rats flee the ship

The top two at Scotland Yard are now gone, and they are having emergency meetings. This story just keeps on growing.

:popcorn: Somebody pass the butter, please.