Labour party leader: Brooks has made right decision

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Ed Miliband speaking in Rochdale

The Leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband has welcomed the news that Rebekah Brooks has resigned from her role as News International’s Chief Executive over the phone hacking scandal.

Mr Miliband had previously called for Mrs Brooks to resign. Just two hours before his visit to Rochdale today (15 July) Mrs Brooks announced her decision.

Speaking in Rochdale, Mr Miliband, said: “I think that Rebekah Brooks has made the right decision to resign. I think it is overdue.

“What I said when I called for her resignation ten days ago that this wasn’t just about one individual this was about the culture of an organisation and I am very disturbed when I hear Mr Murdoch say that they have handled this extremely well with only minor mistakes.

“I don’t think any of the poor innocent families caught up in this would say that minor mistakes have been made by this organisation.

“I think he needs when he comes before the House of Commons on Tuesday to start accepting some responsibility himself for what happened and he needs to start by apologising to all the families who have seen their lives blighted by the actions of his organisation.”

Responding to the suggestion that the phone hacking scandal is taking over from other major issues, he said: “I think we have got to be talking about all the issues that people are concerned about and not just phone hacking and that’s what I am here to do today to talk about how we can improve council services, I think that is a really important issue, here in Rochdale they are trying to pioneer a new approach to housing to involve local communities in the decision that are made about housing.

“So we have got to get phone hacking right, we have got to clear up all of the issues involved and we have also got to focus on the other bread and butter issues that people are facing in their lives.”