Breaking News : Rebekah Brooks resigns from News International

Chief Executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks has resigned.
 
Brooks announced this morning in a statement to News International staff that she handed in her resignation to Rupert and James Murdoch, on which they accepted. She had previously wanted to resign, but Rupert Murdoch insisted that she stay and that she was his number one priority. Prime Minister David Cameron said last week that her resignation should have been accepted.

Today’s announcement comes the day after she accepted the invitation to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, where she will be quizzed by cross party MPs. Rupert and James Murdoch will also be appearing next Tuesday.

The revelations last week that a private investigator working for News of the World allegedly hacked into the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler in 2002, prompted a backlash against the paper, News International and Brooks. Brooks was editor of News of the World at the time but has always denied she knew what was going on. The company took the decision last Thursday to close down News of the World after 168 years. Many staff were angry that the paper was being shutdown, but Brooks was to stay on.

Sky Italia boss Tom Mockridge to take over chief executive role. Below is a statement from Rebekah Brooks, now ex-chief executive of News International.

“At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones. The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk.

As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place.I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis.

However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate. This is now detracting attention from all our honest endeavours to fix the problems of the past. Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted.” – Brooks’ statement to staff

Brooks went on to give praise to Rupert Murdoch, saying : “Rupert’s wisdom, kindness and incisive advice has guided me throughout my career and James is an inspirational leader who has shown me great loyalty and friendship.”

“My resignation makes it possible for me to have the freedom and the time to give my full cooperation to all the current and future inquiries, the police investigations and the CMS appearance.” – Rebekah Brooks’ resignation statement.