Senior police officers, including assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, John Yates, will receive a grilling from MPs today, over the handling of the phone hacking scandal.
In a home affairs committee meeting this morning, Yates and other police officials will be quizzed on why Scotland Yard did not uncover the full extent of the scandal sooner.
In 2009, Yates examined the first investigation into phone hacking, but decided there was no evidence that suggested it needed it to be reopened. He is expected, the Guardian reported, to argue that this was a cock-up, not a cover-up.
Andy Coulson arrested over phone hacking scandal
Private detective must name phone hack celebrities
In a letter to the committee, Yates admitted that leaving the investigation closed was a “pretty crap” decision and that it was with “great regret” that Scotland Yard failed to detect the hacking of Milly Dowler’s phone.
The letter also said: “I was provided with some considerable reassurance (and at a number of levels) that led me to a view that this case neither needed to be reopened or reviewed.”
However, several MPs have said Yates should resign. According to ePolitics.com, Labour MP Chris Bryant, said in the House of Commons yesterday: “Assistant commissioner Yates repeatedly lied to Parliament. He said that there were very few victims.
“He said that all the victims had been contacted. He said that all the mobile phone companies had been put on notice in relation to this. All of these things are lies."?
He added: "He is in charge of counter-terrorism in this country, for heaven’s sake. Surely he should resign."
