Hacking scandal latest: PM faces mounting pressure to quit, and Assistant Commissioner Yates does quit

Labour politicians are gunning for PM David Cameron to resign and take responsibility for his error of judgement over hiring ex-News of the World editor Andy Coulson into the heart of the Downing Street spin machine in light of the phone hacking scandal gripping the nation.

And in yet another double barrell development, it has just been announced that the Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who was quizzed by MPs last week, and will be quizzed tomorrow again by MPs, has also quit. The Met Police is in crisis. Just like the press at News International. Yates reportedly resigned because the Met Police Authority were on the brink of suspending the disgraced Cop.

The Met Police Authority met to discuss the future of the Met Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates, whose future hung by a thread, with the possibility that he may have been suspended due to his conduct in the whole sorry saga.

The Met's top Cop Sir Paul Stephenson shockingly resigned yesterday as well in another surprising double barrell resignation plot, and took a parting pop at PM David Cameron in his speech accusing him of double standards over the hiring of ex-Deputy Editor Neil Wallace into the Met and that of the PM's hiring of Andy Coulson, who resigned from the NOTW when hacking was exposed there.

Although the leader of the opposition Ed Miliband did not specifically make the call for the PM to quit, he said that the PM had been hamstrung by his own decisions and should at least apologise for the error of judgement.

However, Mr Cameron, is repeating the line that his hiring of Coulson was done in good faith, and that Coulson had given assurances to his employer that he had had nothing to do with what had been going on at the News of the World when he was editing the red top tabloid. Cameron also said in parliament last week, that if Coulson had been lying to him, then he would not only be disappointed by the lie from a friend, but that Coulson would face the music from the Police.

But critics of the PM are now calling for him to answer questions over what meetings he had with Rebekah Brooks, or News International chiefs, given that Vince Cable was wrestled out when the Business secretary had made his comment "I'm declaring war on Rupert Murdoch."

Critics want to know how much arm-twisting there was going on by News International of the government in order to let the BskyB bid go ahead before the phone hacking claims were bought to light. Is this just labour party critics wishfully vying for the breakdown of the coalition, and another chance for there to be a general election? With the way the story has been developing nothing is inconceivable. And, as of yet, no political scalp has been taken in the hacking scandal.

And ex-Deputy PM John Prescott, who has been championing the cause for nailing an investigation into the hacking going on at News International for years, went a step further and said that Mr Cameron should consider his actions in the whole affair.

Prescott, who was caught out having an affair with his parliamentary secretary, said that he had written to the then leader of the opposition warning him to not appoint Andy Coulson in No 10. Cameron was also apparently warned by his Deputy PM, the leader of the Liberal Party Nick Clegg, and according to reports, the veteran politician Lord Paddy Ashdown. Even the Guardian were warning him off making the appointment.

Miliband, who was talking in the City of London central financial hub told the press pack that things needed to be done to clean up the mess of the last couple of weeks, and that from the top down, there needed to be a new culture of responsibility. He said: "We owe it to the Dowler family, and the Victims of the 7/7 Bombings" to get a grip on this and that reform was needed from the "boardroom to the benefits Office" in our country.

David Cameron is in south-Africa, to promote the UK, and to also take part in the celebration of Nelson Mandela day, but had told travelling hacks that he will be back on Wednesday to make another statement in the House of Commons. He made a statement last week, where MPs quizzed the PM on his own involvement in the scandal that has rocked parliament, the press, and the police for the past week. Ex-PM Gordon Brown had also been dragged into the affair, accusing The Sun of hacking personal details - which were then rebutted.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee, and the Media Committee will be quizizing top Cops and top hack Rebekah Brooks (as well as her former bosses Rupert and James Murdoch), who was arrested yesterday, and let out on bail. Her lawyer told media channels that the police had neither confirmed that Brooks had been showed any evidence linking her to any wrongdoing - and will face tough questions of their own.

A few naughty hacks go on a hacking expedition, and the entire establishment crumbles like a stale Digestive biscuit....

Continuing....