• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS

AMs rebuff Boris’s move to shore up MOPC leadership

July 4, 2012 by Martin Hoscik

Stephen Greenhalgh is the new Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime
Boris Johnson has been rebuffed in his attempts to appoint City Hall’s head of paid service as interim Chief Executive of the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).

Johnson’s Chief of Staff Sir Eddie Lister wrote to London Assembly Members following the departure of Catherine Crawford and her deputy Jane Harwood requesting support for the appointment.

Lister’s letter says the Mayor believes an interim appointment is necessary to ensure “there are adequate senior management arrangements” in place “given the recent appointment“ of Stephen Greenhalgh.

Crawford and Harwood both left the MOPC last week without a handover period or successors being appointed.

Lister’s letter confirms the “early” departures were the result of “confidential discussions” with the pair.

Labour and Green AMs objected to the appointment, saying Jacobs did not have the experience or time necessary to carry out the role.

As a joint appointee between the Assembly and Mayor Mr Jacobs cannot be redeployed to MOCP without the Assembly’s agreement.

Appealing for support for the request, Tory AM Tony Arbour said there was “a vacuum” at the top of the MOPC.

Green AM Jenny Jones said Assembly Members were being asked to “clean up a mess” created by the Mayor’s staff.

Labour’s Andrew Dismore said it was “ludicrous” for the Mayor to seek AMs’ help without explaining the circumstances of Crawford and Harwood’s departures.

Labour, Green and LibDem AMs backed a motion calling on the Mayor to make alternative arrangements.

AMs had previously expressed concern that the departures would create a knowledge gap within the MOPC.

They were also unimpressed when Greenhalgh was unable to answer questions when he appeared before them last month without Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Filed Under: News

RECENT UPDATES

Tube and rail users to benefit from Oyster weekly fares cap

Mayor and TfL call on ministers to help plug funding gap

Tube to get full mobile phone coverage from 2024

TfL says Direct Vision Standard is already making HGVs safer for London road users




POPULAR

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

Copyright © 2025 · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy