19 July,2011 07:56 AM IST | | Agencies
Rupert Murdoch and his son James will face the fury of British MPs today as the phone hacking and police bribery scandal intensifies, leading to the resignation of Britain's two top cops.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said he was quitting because of speculation about his links to Murdoch's empire and the force's botched investigation into hacking at the News of the World.
Yesterday, assistant commissioner John Yates also announced his resignation.
Yates decided two years ago to not reopen police inquiries into phone hacking, a decision he said in recent weeks he regretted.
Sir Paul said, "I have 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."
He had been linked to ex-News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis in reports that said he had this year accepted a five-week stay at a luxury health spa where Wallis was a PR consultant.
Sir Paul's shock announcement came hours after police arrested Rebekah Brooks, Murdoch's former British newspaper chief, on suspicion of phone-hacking and bribing police. She was freed on bail after 12 hours of questioning.
James Murdoch will be in the firing line over hush money payments to alleged victims of phone hacking by the News of the World.
Rupert Murdoch is also expected to face questioning from MPs who believe he has too much power.
