Cameron’s office ‘snubbed offers of briefings’

POLICE offers to brief Prime Minister David Cameron on phone hacking were snubbed by Downing Street, two senior officers have revealed as they defended their integrity despite quitting over the scandal.

John Yates, who quit as assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on Monday, revealed he had e-mailed Mr Cameron’s chief of staff Ed Llewellyn to offer the briefing but was told, “I don’t think it would really be appropriate.”

But the Met was also facing fresh scrutiny after Sir Paul Stephenson, who announced he was quitting as Commissioner on Sunday, revealed that almost a quarter of its communications team previously worked for News International, owner of the News of the World.

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During appearances before the Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday both Sir Paul and Mr Yates defended their roles in the appointment of former News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis as a consultant to the force in the wake of his arrest as part of the probe into phone hacking and police corruption.

The Met has been under fire for not telling Downing St that they had paid Mr Wallis for work but Sir Paul said he was acting on guidance from a Government official.

Pressed on the question, Mr Yates told MPs that last September he e-mailed Mr Llewellyn offering to brief David Cameron on aspects of the hacking inquiry – after fresh revelations in the New York Times – although Scotland Yard later clarified there was never any discussion about Mr Wallis.

Mr Yates said: “There was an offer in the early part of September 2010 for me to put into context some of the nuances around police language in terms of what a scoping exercise is, what an assessment is...That offer was properly and understandably rejected.”

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Downing Street later released the e-mail exchange, in which Mr Llewellyn responded: “I am sure you will understand that we will want to be able to be entirely clear, for your sake and ours, that we have not been in contact with you about this subject.

“So I don’t think it would really be appropriate for the PM, or anyone else at No 10, to discuss this issue with you, and would be grateful if it were not raised please.”

Sir Paul faced claims that ex-employees at News International were like “fashion accessories” after admitting that 10 of 45 media relations staff at Scotland Yard had worked for the newspaper group. He said he regretted Mr Wallis’s appointment in light of subsequent revelations.

Giving evidence to the Select Committee, he said: “I understand that there are 10 members of the DPA (directorate of public affairs) staff who have worked in News International in the past, in some cases journalists, in some cases undertaking work experience with the organisation.”

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Both police chiefs said they resigned with their integrity intact, although Mr Yates said he “confidently predicts” a small number of police officers will be jailed for corruption over the scandal.

Sir Paul spoke of his “personally painful” decision to resign, making an emotionally charged final statement to the committee. “I’m going because I’m a leader. Leadership is not about popularity, it’s not about the Press, it’s not about spinning.”

Sir Paul , who said he realised he had to go when it emerged that Mr Wallis had links to health spa Champneys, where he had received free accommodation and board after a tumour operation, said there had been “huge events, regrettable events” and he spoke of his “sincere regret” that Mr Yates had also chosen to resign.

Mr Yates told the committee he had quit because the phone hacking scandal had become a “huge distraction for me in my current role”.

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He added: “I think occasionally leaders have got to stand up and be counted. I’ve said I’m accountable for what’s taken place on my watch. I firmly believe, and I’ll reiterate that, I’ve done nothing wrong and my integrity is intact and my conscience is clear.”

Sir Paul denied “impugning” Mr Cameron in his resignation statement, when he suggested his employment of Mr Wallis was less controversial than former News of the World editor Andy Coulson’s appointment as Downing Street communications chief.