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Probe on Menezes killing is shelved to protect Ian Blair
Justin Davenport, Evening Standard17.04.08
A key inquiry into the Met's handling of the Stockwell shooting has been shelved for political reasons.
The investigation examined Scotland Yard chief Sir Ian Blair's role following the police killing of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes.
The publication of the report in the run-up to the mayoral election could have led to renewed calls for Sir Ian to resign, and in turn damage Ken Livingstone, a key supporter of the commissioner.
Brian Paddick, the Lib-Dem candidate and former Scotland Yard officer, has said he would not allow Sir Ian a second five-year term as commissioner, while Tory contender Boris Johnson has also hinted that he does not fully back Sir Ian.
After interviewing more than 20 police officers and officials, the inquiry was due to deliver a report in February.
Today, however, the Metropolitan Police Authority admitted publication of the report had been delayed because of "political sensitivities" surrounding the mayoral and London Assembly elections.
A spokesman said the report into the 2005 shooting had still not been completed but had been held over because of the election "purdah". The spokesman added that there was the possibility of "people making political capital out of it".
But MPA insiders and senior sources said there had been " inexplicable" delays to the publication of what is expected to be a controversial review.
The report is believed to examine in detail why Sir Ian was not told that the wrong man had been shot until 24 hours after it happened.
The study was originally expected to have been finished in time for the February MPA meeting but was then delayed until last month'smeeting - well before politicians and civil servants are expected to go into purdah in advance of elections.
The decision to delay the report was condemned today by Tory members of the MPA and a Lib-Dem member of the review panel itself.
Richard Barnes, Tory leader on the London Assembly, said: "Clearly if this report is so politically sensitive, it must be damning of the Met. I find it appalling that this has not been published. We are a statutory body in our own right and we should continue as normal, never mind the election."
One of the review's panel members, Lib-Dem Dee Doocey, said: "I had expected that we would at least have a draft by now but we had an email in March saying it was delayed and we have not heard anything since. If this is the reason for the delay then I am astonished."
Mr de Menezes, 27, an electrician, was shot by CO19 officers at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July 2005 after he was mistaken for a suicide bomber following the previous day's failed terror attacks across London.
The MPA inquiry was announced last September by the authority's chairman and Labour London Assembly chief, Len Duvall, who also announced he would chair the review. It was intended to examine issues surrounding how the Met handled information following the shooting and why Sir Ian was kept in the dark.
An MPA spokesman said the decision to delay the report was made at "corporate level".
Reader views (20)
An innocent man was murdered by the police. Any attempt to delay or cover up findings would be criminal in itself.
- Jimbob, Kensington
The lies and corruption from this lot make me feel ashamed to have been one of their past supporters, I thought the Labour party was for the people, nowadays it appears to be for oneself. Only when this lot go we really discover what a dreadful state the economy is in. The only losers now is us the man in the street. Goodbye Mr Brown and your yobs
- Col, West London
London voters have a great chance to show what we really think of Gordan Brown and Ken as their from the same socialist backside roll on may the 1st and as for Ian Blair he will be out on his ear if Boris or Paddick get elected.
- Pete, London
Ken and Brown, two peas in a pod, hanging onto their jobs, both conniving and the bain of tax payers.
- Patricia Kenny, Bradford, UK
Hmmm - good job we don't live in Russia, where the government controls the press and "independent" civil watchdogs!
- D, UK
So the MPA has been taking lessons fron Zanu-PF then? Robert Mugabe would be so proud to see how the Met emulates his policies.
- Chuck Unsworth, London
I find it more than a little ironic that the Metropolitan Police have recently published a new set of crime statistics showing a reduction in crime, reflecting well upon the positive achievements of both themselves and the current Mayor, when another (and more or less contemporary) report into the killing of de Menezes at Stockwell station has been repressed for “political” reasons.
The crime statistics do not stand up to too much in-depth analysis anyway, especially with reference to the reporting of certain types of crime. It is unfortunate therefore that we will be unable to analyse, either in-depth or otherwise, the other report, for fear (heaven forbid) that it might show the Mayor and his influence upon the Met Police Authority in a negative light as May 1st approaches.
Maybe I am just rather cynical; as a motorcyclist in London I am already fully aware of another report suppressed in a similar way for producing the “wrong” answers regarding the sharing of road space with other road users.
Another shameful rung has been added to the ladder leading to the rapidly approaching state envisaged by Orwell.
- Mick, London, England
Vote Boris, get the crooked politicians and their police out.
- Jamal, London
Corruption at high level - police (see the LES article on fiddled crime statistics) and government (hanging on to power). What happened to honour and honesty?
- Disillusioned, Nottingham, UK
Compare and contrast how the Home Secretary ignored advice of her department and made an announcement about Police being redirected to anti terrorism work.
How far will Labour go in their corruption of normal democratic process to ensure they win?
- Eddie, United Kingdom
Right, so if I have someone killed I'll get away with it as long as I'm standing, or know someone who's standing for political office?
- Paul, London
How surprising: the establishment covers it all up again to protect its own - Ian Blair and Ken Livingstone. It's disgusting and shameful and neither man has a shred of honour. But what do you expect when the government also covered up the cash-for-honours scam.
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
There has been a suggestion that Mr de Menezes was aware of the truth about the 7/7 "terrorist" attack and MI6's role in perpetrating it. On 7/7 the bomb was located under the train not in the train. Simultaneously, a company was carrying out a terrorist drill at precisely the same stations that were attacked. The truth about 7/7 is being withheld from us.
- Neil, london uk
This is absolutely disgraceful!
Scotland Yard chief Sir Ian Blair's role following the police killing of Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, must be probed to the "Nth degree" otherwise nobody but nobody will be safe in Britain regardless of whether they are a resident, student, tourist or whatever!
This "shelving of the probe" must only be temporary as there is no way on earth that the Scotland Yard Chief should get off Scot-Free! The worst case scenario should be just a "temporary delay" but even that is totally disgraceful and disrespectful to Jean Charles de Menezes' family! Hello! The police illegally murdered a human being and then apparently both falsely reported and delayed the reporting of the full truthful facts!
Is it any wonder that the public have a decreasing respect for the police when this sort of nonsense is permitted to go on?
- Fraser, Telford Park
Paddick himself has said, whilst trying to convince us of his political competence, "there is nowhere more political than the 8th floor of New Scotland Yard". If that is not a pointer to all that is wrong with the Met' then I don't know what is. Paddick was, until recently, happily colluding with this brand of inappropriate politics, which should be reason enough to keep him out of the mayors office.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
This Blair, like the previous Blair is a criminal and should be tried for murder / war crimes.
- Maurice, Highgate
Come on - what was OK for the Home Office and its police announcement yesterday must apply to the MPA today, surely. No wonder people are so sceptical about the Labour Government and its interpretation of the law and rules these days.
- Patrick, Wandsworth, England
Obviously this is a bad report for Sir Ian and Ken. If it were good, Ken would have no doubts about releasing it now.
- Philip, London, England
If you think back to all the scandals that Ken seems to have got away with this should be no surprise. He called a Jewish reporter a Concentration Camp Guard, he was suspended from office, he jets all over the world on our money and now he is hiding from the truth because he is so desperately hanging on to office. I hope the rest of London can see that this is a man only out to further his own cause and lord it over the 2012 Olympics. He doesn't want to make London better for ordinary Londoners he just wants to carry on the Ken Livingstone show.
Vote Boris and get this nasty sleazy mayor out of City Hall.
- Emma, London, UK
Yet another fiddle!
- Ian, London Eng
