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Met chief 'tried to stop his head of security for 2012 going to Beijing'
Rob Singh, Evening Standard12 Aug 2008
Sir Ian Blair today faced new claims over his treatment of one of his most senior officers.
Friends of Tarique Ghaffur said the Metropolitan Police Commissioner had tried to stop him attending the Beijing Olympics in his role as the lead planner for security at the London Games in 2012.
The allegation is the latest round in the increasingly open warfare between the two men.
Mr Ghaffur, the Met's Assistant Commissioner, has now decided to launch full-scale legal action against Sir Ian, claiming that he is the victim of racial discrimination.
Sources close to him and his legal team are to make further claims of misconduct against the Commissioner.
Mr Ghaffur will also submit a formal witness statement to an inquiry headed by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, who is investigating how Sir Ian's skiing companion Andy Miller secured a series of lucrative police contracts.
Mr Ghaffur, 53, the third most senior officer in the Met, will put forward claims concerning the Commissioner's relationship with another businessman who won a consultancy contract to advise the Met on security at the London Olympics.
Another potentially damning claim involves Sir Ian's role in the cash-forhonours investigation in 2006.
The Met announced that the Commissioner stood aside because of his "close working relationship" with prime minister Tony Blair, but Mr Ghaffur claims he has documents which contradict this.
The appearance of such paperwork would be highly damaging to Sir Ian, who was clear that he was not involved in the investigation, which was carried out by Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Yates. If the documents were to appear, this might raise serious questions over the Commissioner's future.
Sir Ian has robustly denied he committed any impropriety in the awarding of contracts to Mr Miller and said he informed the Met about their relationship before the contracts were awarded. No other claims of corruption have been made against him.
Friends of Mr Ghaffur said the relationship between himself and his boss had reached a new low in the run-up to the Beijing Games.
"Blair did not want Tarique Ghaffur going to Beijing," a source said.
"Doing this would have put Tarique out of the running for the role of being in charge of Olympic security in 2012.
"Anyone running security at the London Olympics would have been required to go to Beijing. If he didn't go he would not be viable to be in charge of the next Olympics." After negotiations, the Met agreed to let Mr Ghaffur travel to the Chinese capital for the Games.
"He is not there to watch sport, he is there in order to observe and learn," the source said. "He is there now and will prepare a report when he returns."
Following legal advice, Mr Ghaffur has decided to launch formal proceedings in a case that he says raises fresh questions about corruption.
His lawyer, Shahrokh Mireskandari, of solicitors Dean and Dean, said proceedings would be formally lodged no later than 20 August.
Mr Ghaffur decided to take the force to an employment tribunal over alleged racism after Lord Brenning QC, Robin Allen QC and Mr Mireskandari analysed his dossier of emails, documents and notes.
In the documents, he claims that London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics contained promises that its security would be headed by a black or Asian officer and that Sir Ian reneged on this pledge.
Sir Ian has strenuously denied the claims of racial discrimination.
Len Duvall, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, and Catherine Crawford, its chief executive, who also feature prominently in the complaint, both deny racism too.
Mr Mireskandari said: "This is going to be a massive claim.
"We are dealing with somebody very senior who is basically pointing the finger at the number one at the Met and his 'golden circle'.
"He is not a litigious person. It is not something he is doing lightly. He has evidence which has been studied and looked at by two QCs. There is a lot of evidence and it is not just two pieces of paper."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said he would not comment on the allegations because of legal proceedings and that the awarding of police contracts was being investigated by the police authority.
Reader views (3)
This is all about ego's, as a retired Met officer I can vouch that "the job" runs on senior officer's ego power. Blair is the worst commissioner since Condon.
- Old Blue, Sunbury, ., 16/08/2008 20:20
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If Mr Ghaffur wants to win he will increase his chances if he instructs Karon Monaghan QC over Robin Allen QC. The Brits loathe an Asian to front a British institution - especially internationally. Doesn't do much for the British Empire image. The Courts in general also have problems making a finding of race discrimination and will accept any Tom, Dick and Harry non-racial reason put forward to dismiss a claim - read a few of Ms Monaghan publications she is also a part-time Tribunal chair.
- Munir, Guildford, 13/08/2008 02:44
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Regardless of whether any of this is true or not this man would have gone at least a year ago if he had an ounce of self awareness or humility.
On the flip side how can Blair "promise that its security would be headed by a black or Asian officer"?
Isn't that reverse discrimination? What would our attitude if he had promised that it would be done by a white officer?
- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham, 12/08/2008 12:39
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