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

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • Twitter

Leveson claims prove need for public MOPC meetings

March 12, 2012 - Martin Hoscik@MayorWatch

Until the Deputy Commissioner left to deal with an incident, the most exciting thing about last week’s London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee meeting was the questions surrounding allegations made against Kit Malthouse at the Leveson inquiry.

If you’re new to the row, Malthouse is accused of interfering with the Met’s resourcing of phone hacking investigation while he was Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Today’s Evening Standard repeats the charge.

In his appearance before AMs, Malthouse said it was hard to answer in detail because he’s due to appear before Leveson later this month and felt it improper to pre-empt his evidence.

Assembly Members were far from impressed, Jenny Jones later claimed Malthouse’s position “showed the flaws in the new MOPC system”

But from the answers he did give, Malthouse is very clear that he did challenge the Met about its resourcing of the inquiry because, as he put it, that’s the job he’s paid to do.

Malthouse says his motive was purely to ensure resourcing was appropriate and proportionate and would not prevent Londoners receiving the policing they expect or deserve.

And, he says, other MPA and Assembly Members have “rightly” done the same in relation to other areas of police work.

In the absence of anything other than disputed understandings, opponents are going to have a hard time disproving the innocent slant Malthouse puts on his interventions.

But the rumbling does raise a couple of points worth voicing.

If the Met thought they were being subjected to political pressure did they raise the issue with the Home Office, MPA or Mayor? The MPA often had closed sessions where officers could have raised concerns.

Will the Police and Crime Committee invite serving and former officers to expand on any discussions they think amounted to an attempt to influence their work?

The PCC should also work with the Met and MOPC to ensure there’s a proper mechanism by which officers of any rank can raise such concerns in future.

Finally, although the MOPC is the Met’s regulator, there are no public scrutiny meetings between the Commissioner and the Deputy Mayor for Policing.

Asked about this on Thursday, Malthouse seemed to suggest it was difficult for just two men could hold a public meeting – should it be the pair of them in armchairs by the fireside?

But the current row, and the headlines Malthouse is enduring, would be less likely had he raised any concerns about resourcing in a public meeting where nuance and intent are more obvious than repetition and reporting often allow.

Failing that, MOPC may need to consider implementing a formal, written mechanism for raising such concerns.

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

RECENT UPDATES

852 new homes to be built in Acton by Transport for London

HGV operators in London urged to apply for a Direct Vision Standard permit

TfL proposes bus and tube cuts and annual fares increases to achieve long-term financial sustainability

London’s entire bus fleet now meets ULEZ emissions standards




Popular

1,700 extra Santander Cycles are coming to London’s streets

TfL confirms changes to Older Person’s Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card hours

TfL fares to rise in return for £1.6bn Government rescue package

Election for Mayor of London and London Assembly postponed until 2021

FEATURED

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

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 MayorWatch Publications Limited · MayorWatch is Registered Trademark · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy

MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.