Rebekah Brooks resigns over phone-hacking scandal
News International chief stops short of full apology, saying she no longer wants to be 'focal point of the debate'
Rebekah Brooks, the News International chief executive, has resigned after 11 days of mounting political pressure over the phone-hacking scandal.
Brooks announced her decision to News International staff in Wapping just before 10am on Friday, saying her resignation had been accepted by Rupert Murdoch and James Murdoch. She said she no longer wanted to be a "focal point of the debate" surrounding the company's future and reputation.
She stopped short of issuing a personal apology. "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," Brooks said in a statement.
"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."
Brooks praised Rupert and James Murdoch and said she leaves "with the happiest memories and an abundance of friends".
Brooks is to be replaced by the chief executive of Sky Italia, Tom Mockridge, who will take over at Wapping immediately.
It is not yet clear exactly why Brooks's resignation after 22 years at the company was accepted by the Murdochs, who had so far steadfastly stood by her during the crisis. This despite calls for her to go from the leaders of all the main political parties, including prime minister David Cameron, and the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose mobile phone was allegedly hacked by a private investigator working for the News of the World.
However, the last straw may well have been Thursday night's Newsnight interview with News International parent company News Corporation's second largest shareholder, Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud, in which he called for her to stand down amid questions over her "integrity". Al-Saud, who controls a 7% stake in News Corp: said: "For sure she has to go, you bet she has to go."
Brooks also faced an uncomfortable appearance before MPs on the Commons culture, media and sport select committee on Tuesday along with Rupert and James Murdoch to answer questions about the phone-hacking scandal. In her resignation statement she indicated that she would still appear before the committee.
In her statement Brooks said she wanted to clear her name as well as the company's. "The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk," she added.
"As you can imagine recent times have been tough. I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist, an editor and executive.
"My resignation makes it possible for me to have the freedom and the time to give my full co-operation to all the current and future inquiries, the police investigations and the CMS appearance. I am so grateful for all the messages of support. I have nothing but overwhelming respect for you and our millions of readers."
Al-Saud, known as the "Arab Warren Buffet" and the nephew of the Saudi king, also told Newsnight: "The indications are that her involvement in this matter is explicit. For sure she has to go, you bet she has to go. Ethics to me is very important. I will not tolerate to deal with a company that has a lady or a man that has any sliver of doubts on her or his integrity. From my dealings with Mr James Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch it's almost impossible for James and Rupert to know what's going on at News of the World level.
"The problems have been at the News of the World newspaper and not at News Corp level. I'd like to differentiate between News Corporation conglomerate and the News of the World that got shut down. These tactics used by tabloid newspapers in the UK were done not only by News of the World but by other tabloid newspapers also.
"I hope that this matter doesn't get over-politicised. Clearly some politicians in the UK and US right now would like to set the record clear and take revenge on Mr Murdoch's conglomerate that wasn't really on their side some time ago."
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