Yesterday's big news that Sir Paul Stephenson, Commissioner of the Met police, has resigned has been reported as putting more pressure on PM Cameron. The reason - highlighted by Labour's Yvette Cooper - is the contrast between the Commissioner's 'honourable' action of resigning over his employment of the Deputy Editor of the News of the World compared with the 'dishonourable' action of PM Cameron who remains in post even though he appointed its Editor.
However, senior policemen are almost as difficult to winkle out of office as dodgy politicians - witness how long Stephenson's predecessor held on despite losing the confidence of the Mayor.
What is perhaps being forgotten is that there are two current inquiries into phone hacking - Operation Weeting which is re-investigating the shambolic previous investigation on Labour's watch - and Operation Elvedon which is looking at what is euphemistically called 'inappropriate payments to the police' ie bribery.
My reading is that Stephenson resigned because he knew that the case against the Met will include widespread evidence of 'inappropriate payments' as well as the employment of dodgy ex-hacks.
The case against Cameron is just about the employment of dodgy ex-hacks.
I hope that, having resigned of his own accord, he is not going to get a taxpayer-funded payoff but I'm not holding my breath
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