Brian Paddick’s claim in today’s Telegraph that he was forced by Sir Ian Blair to support 90 days detention may help him establish a liberal identity but it poses an important question – can Londoners have confidence in a man who allowed himself to be pressured over such a fundamentally important issue?
Paddick could have refused, he could have spoken out at the time or he could have followed the path of all those troubled by a point of principle and resigned. Today’s interview make no mention of any consideration of these options.
Running a city of 8 million requires someone willing and capable of standing up for the issues which really matter – often in the face of opposition from determined and powerful interest groups.
After claiming that he allowed himself to be forced into backing such a draconian curtailment of our civil liberties Londoners may well question whether Paddick has the strength to withstand such pressures.
F, London says
LibDem members must be ecstatic that their candidate is so easily coerced on issues of such importance!
Brian Paddick says
What people fail to understand is the strict hierarchical nature of the police service and the very real threat of disciplinary action for speaking out against a senior officer, particularly the Commissioner. What transpired in this case was a compromise press statement in which anyone could see that it was made under such a threat. I have never compromised my beliefs and freed from the constraints of the police service, there is no evidence that I will give in to coercion.