David Cameron cuts short Africa visit

(AP)

Prime Minister David Cameron has cut short his visit to Africa by around seven hours to allow himself time to prepare to address MPs about the fast-developing phone-hacking scandal.

Instead of flying back overnight and arriving in London in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Mr Cameron will get home late tomorrow, said aides.

Mr Cameron's spokesman said the change had been made to allow the Prime Minister to prepare the statement he will deliver to the House of Commons on Wednesday.

"We were able to rearrange the Prime Minister's engagements so he can still carry out most of his planned events in Nigeria," said the spokesman.

Mr Cameron will deliver a speech in Lagos and hold talks and a press conference with President Goodluck Jonathan, but has called off a planned visit to a power station.

Mr Cameron's first prime ministerial visit to sub-Saharan Africa, billed as a trade mission, has taken place in the shadow of dramatic developments in the phone-hacking scandal.

The Prime Minister had initially intended to spend five days travelling to four countries, including Rwanda and South Sudan.

But he trimmed the trip down to just two days in South Africa and Nigeria before it had even started, to be able to return to London to deal with the aftermath of Rupert Murdoch's appearance before a Commons committee tomorrow.

Following the shock resignation of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, Mr Cameron announced he was extending the parliamentary session for a single day so he can make a statement to MPs.

The announcement came after the Prime Minister was the butt of jibes from Labour leader Ed Miliband, who said he had left the country with the aim of not returning until after MPs had left Westminster for their summer recess.