The last edition of the News of the World was published today, with its front page declaring: Thank you & goodbye.
In a full-page editorial the paper offered an apology. “Quite simply, we lost our way,” it said.
Publisher News International axed the 168-year-old tabloid in the wake of phone-hacking allegations last week.
Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner John Yates expressed “extreme regret” for not reopening the phone hacking investigation two years ago.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, he said he had regretted the way he handled it after reviewing the initial police investigation which led to the conviction of private investigator Glenn Mulcaire in 2007.
Mr Yates said he did not re-examine the 11,000 pages of material recovered from Mulcaire’s home but spent eight hours considering the matter, and consulted the Crown Prosecution Service, but decided there was no likelihood of further convictions.
He said the decision now seemed a “pretty crap one”.
Mr Yates admitted the Metropolitan Police’s reputation had been tarnished by the scandal but said he had no intention of resigning.
Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp business owns the News of the World’s publisher News International, is due to arrive in the UK to take charge of handling the phone-hacking crisis.
During a short speech to more than 200 staff outside the paper’s offices in Wapping, east London, late yesterday, Night Editor Colin Myler held up the 8 674th and final edition of the Sunday newspaper, saying: “This is not where we want to be and not where we deserve to be.”
“As a final tribute to seven-and-a-half million readers, this is for you – and for the staff, thank you.”
“Now, in the best traditions of Fleet Street, we are going to the pub,” he added.
The News of the World doubled Sunday’s print run to five million, with money from the sales being donated to four charities. (BBC)
