John Yates, the Assistant Commissioner at the centre of the storm about the Metropolitan Police's investigation into celebrity phone hacking at the News of the World, under the editorship of Andy Coulson, now the Prime Minister's chief spin doctor. Yates is a high flyer and no stranger to high profile and controversial cases. He led the perjury case against Lord Archer, the 'cash for honours' investigation, was involved in the Stephen Lawrence enquiry. In 2005 he travelled to Brazil to meet the parents of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by police after being mistaken for a suicide bomber, and with an offer of financial compensation from the Met. Yates is also responsible for counter-terrorism. Yates is in the spotlight again this week as MPs questioned his judgement about the limits of the hacking enquiry and the closeness of the Met's relationship with News International. Yates has now agreed that new evidence means the investigation will be re-opened. Colleagues and critics talk John Yates, the man tipped to be the next Commissioner of Scotland Yard, as he faces enormous pressure from all sides.

Producer: Samantha Fenwick