John Yates: Defiant but now gone

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Mayor of London Boris Johnson's spokesman said Mr Yates's decision to resign was "regrettable, but the right call"

John Yates' defiance didn't last long.

He has resigned, I am told, after being informed that he would be suspended pending an inquiry into his relationship with Neil Wallis, the former deputy editor of the News of the World.

Sources say that he was confronted with new information about the friendship between the two men who have known each other for many years.

Assistant Commissioner Yates is unlikely to go quietly.

This morning he told friends that it would be "outrageous" if he was suspended and - as I posted earlier - that he would only resign if his judgement was found wanting by the official inquiry to be chaired by Lord Leveson.