PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted he would press ahead with his visit to Africa, despite the escalating crisis at home over phone-hacking and police links with the press.
Mr Cameron was informed of the resignation of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson just 80 minutes after taking off from Heathrow for his first official trip to sub-Saharan Africa.
He spoke by satellite phone with Home Secretary Theresa May and senior officials in London before releasing a statement via 10 Downing Street. His spokesman said the PM was given no advance notice of Sir Paul's decision to quit.
Mr Cameron has already cut short his African mission, which was initially planned to last five days and take in four countries, because he did not want to be out of the UK for too long as the row over phone-hacking at the News of the World continued to blow up.
He scrapped planned visits to Rwanda - where Conservative activists had been working on aid projects - and the world's newest state South Sudan, in order to be back in London to deal with the aftermath of Rupert Murdoch's appearance before the Commons Culture Committee on Tuesday.
He is going ahead with a trade mission to South Africa and Nigeria, where he will be when Mr Murdoch, his son James and former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks - a frequent social guest of the PM's who was arrested on Sunday and then bailed - give evidence.
He is not due back in the UK until Wednesday.
Explaining why Mr Cameron wanted to carry on with his African visit, the spokesman said: "What he is doing on this trip is making economic links with Africa. It's important that the Prime Minister does this.
"Part of his role as Prime Minister... is boosting the British economy and making trade links and that is the purpose of this trip. The Prime Minister needs to continue doing that."
Mr Cameron is accompanied on the trip by a delegation of 25 business leaders, covering the full range from international conglomerates to small enterprises. Among them is Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond and senior figures from Vodafone, Waitrose, G4S and drinks giant Diageo.