IOPC Report on Metropolitan Police Officers' Conduct: Charing Cross Police Station Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

IOPC Report on Metropolitan Police Officers' Conduct: Charing Cross Police Station

Felicity Buchan Excerpts
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

(2 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kit Malthouse Portrait Kit Malthouse
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Two of the matters that the hon. Lady refers to are still under investigation by Her Majesty’s inspectorate and I hope that that will conclude shortly. It is worth pointing out that this incident was discovered shortly after the commissioner became commissioner and the unit was disbanded shortly thereafter on her watch. The reason that her contract was extended is that we thought she was the best person for the job.

Felicity Buchan Portrait Felicity Buchan (Kensington) (Con)
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As someone who represents a central London constituency, I am shocked and horrified by these revelations and the toxic culture that it represents in some parts of the Metropolitan police. Will my right hon. Friend assure me that he will bring up these concerns with the Mayor of London, because the Mayor needs to take responsibility for sorting out the culture of the Metropolitan police?

Kit Malthouse Portrait Kit Malthouse
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As somebody who, as I said, served in City Hall as deputy mayor for policing, I can tell the House that the intention of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which created the mayoralty and put the police authority and then the Metropolitan police under the control of the Mayor of London, was to ensure that the forensic examination of Met performance and internal processes could be done as close to the frontline as possible and that the Mayor should be in the driving seat.