Met chief ‘must quit for calling Tories corrupt’

Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick had to "reflect" on whether he could credibly continue to lead a Whitehall investigation.

The officer is in charge of the inquiry into claims that Tory MP Damian Green helped a mole to leak Home Office secrets.

Mr Quick, who is head of counter-terrorism, yesterday accused the Conservatives of trying to undermine his inquiry after a newspaper published details of his wife's wedding car hire business. He said he had to move his children out of his home because of security fears.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was forced to defend Mr Quick, insisting that the row had not brought into question his judgment and impartiality.

Mr Quick today issued a statement within minutes of Tory leader David Cameron demanding that the officer withdraw the "completely baseless" allegations and make a full retraction.

Mr Quick said: "I have now reflected on the comments I made yesterday at a difficult time for me and my family.

"I wish to make clear that it was not my intention to make any allegations and I retract my comments. I apologise unreservedly for any offence or embarrassment that I have caused."

The Tories initially insisted they believed that the apology had drawn a line under the matter, but later Mr Grieve suggested that Mr Quick should consider his post.

Mr Grieve told Radio 4's World At One: "I think really it is for Mr Quick to reflect whether the remarks he's made or his emotions in this matter might disqualify him for continuing the investigation against Damian Green."

Mr Grieve told BBC News 24 that Mr Quick's role in the probe "is doubtless a matter which, as a professional police officer, he can discuss professionally with his colleagues and I don't think it is for me to say one way or another".

Mr Grieve appeared to draw a distinction between Mr Quick retaining his post as head of counter-terrorism and his job leading the Damian Green probe.

"This does not itself in my view cast doubt on his abilities as a senior officer to do counter-terrorism work," he told Sky News.

Today's row underlines the dire state of relations between the Met and the Conservative party, which were already under strain over Sir Ian Blair's removal by Boris Johnson and rows over 42-day detention.

Mr Quick's hopes of becoming Deputy Commissioner of the Met are now in serious doubt, Tory MPs believe.

Senior party figures also warned that Mr Quick's comments "raised serious questions" about his professionalism.

MPs point out that the Opposition cannot publicly be seen to interfere with police operational independence. But acting Met chief Sir Paul Stephenson may have no option but to remove the officer from the probe because Mr Quick's remarks have potentially prejudiced any future court case.

Mr Quick yesterday hit out at the Mail on Sunday article that triggered the row.

He claimed the Tory party and its supporters were "mobilised" against his investigation. Mr Quick also alleged that the "Tory machinery and their press friends" were opposing the inquiry "in a wholly corrupt way".