Afternoon:
12°c
Met calls in outside force for ‘urgent review’ of MP’s arrest
Justin Davenport02.12.08
The police investigation into Tory MP Damian Green was thrown into doubt today after being placed under an official review.
Scotland Yard called in the chief constable of an outside force to check the tactics of the inquiry into Home Office leaks which led to Mr Green's arrest.
The extraordinary decision was announced by the Yard's acting head Sir Paul Stephenson, who originally approved the arrest. The move comes after the police faced a barrage of criticism from politicians of all parties.
Detectives involved in the case will also meet Crown Prosecution Service lawyers to review the "next steps" of the investigation.
The arrest was authorised by the Met's Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, in charge of anti-terror operations, and approved by Sir Paul, who has taken over from Sir Ian Blair as acting head of the force. Both men are candidates for the post of head of Scotland Yard. But in a statement issued this morning Sir Paul said: "I am concerned about the issues being raised within the continuing debate surrounding the investigation into the leaks of government information.
"I have therefore asked Ian Johnston, chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Crime committee and the chief constable of the British Transport Police, to conduct an urgent review of the decisions, actions and handling of the investigation to date, and also to provide me with an interim report within seven days and a final report within two weeks.
"In the meantime the investigative team will be meeting with the CPS to review progress and consider the next steps."
There is shock in senior police circles at the scale of the controversy which has engulfed the inquiry. Increasingly questions are being asked about the chances of securing a conviction and if charges are in the public interest.
The review could be the first step towards abandoning the case which comes as the Met is seeking a new Commissioner. One police source said: "With the level of criticism around the case, we want to reassure ourselves everything we have done is right."
As the review was announced there were also reports police will question David Davis, though this appears increasingly unlikely.
Today it also emerged Home Secretary Jacqui Smith sought assurances from Sir Paul yesterday that the inquiry was being carried out in a "proportionate" manner. In a statement today she said: "In view of the gravity and sensitivity of this ongoing investigation, I spoke to Sir Paul yesterday to seek his assurance the investigation was being pursued diligently, sensitively and in a proportionate manner."
Boris Johnson also welcomed the review saying : "It is right that someone independent should look closely at how the police conducted this investigation, and whether the actions and decisions they took were proportionate and necessary, and I am pleased at the commonsense approach this represents."
But he also faced criticism for making public details of a private conversation with the Acting Commissioner when he was informed of Mr Green's arrest. Former Met anti-terror chief Andy Hayman, writing in The Times, accused the Mayor of "nothing less than political interference in operational policing".
Reader views (20)
Has anyone noticed that since the return of Mandy and Campbell, Nulab is trying to systematically pick off senior members of the opposition one by one? Just like the old days huh!!!
- Steph Harwood, MK
this is wot happens when labour are in power time for them to go
- Ambientboy, london
It's not the receiving of the information that is the problem here, it's the suggestion that the MP encouraged the Civil Servant to disclose and seek information that is the concern, there is a difference !
- Richard, London
This whole eopisode was a contrived political manouvre by NuLiebour, and it has the stench of Mandelson all over it.
It is utterly ridiculous to suggest that Brown, Smith and other senior Politburo members did not have prior knowledge of this unconstitutional outrage. The very fact that they claim this defence shows the contempt with which they hold the ordinary men and women of this country.
The Metropolitan police have, once again, allowed themselves to be used as pawns in the political skulduggery of the most anti-democtratic government in this country's living memory. It is inconceivable that two of the applicants for Ian Bliar's job would risk their careers with such brazen act by not obtaining prior permission from their political masters.
"It emerged that Miss Smith had not known about the police raids on Mr Green's offices and homes last Thursday because she was in a meeting in Brussels and officials could not contact her."- Absolute cobblers! The Home Secretary is responsible for national security (God help us all!), the notion that she would be out of contact with her office, at any time, is stretching credulity to the limit. The same can be said of Gordon Clown.
It now looks like the Sergeant at Arms will have to take the fall for Gorbals Mick, following his equally implausible claim to have had no part in allowing the politically motivated raid of Damian Green's office.
They are a bunch of bare faced liars!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Hooray for David Davis, this man is turning into a legend in his own right.
Come on David Cameron bring him back to the front bench NOW.
- Denise, London UK
The Romans had a phrase for this- 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes'- who shall police the policemen.
One of the interesting quotes of the modern day is 'no-one is above the law'. But no-one ever seems to suggest also that neither are the police. It appears sometimes that the police can do almost anything they like with that whole thing about 'if you've nothing to hide you've nothing to fear'. Well when I'm treated always as an automatic suspect I have everything to fear from a police force which is becoming too powerful and believing itself to be effectively above the law. So the question remains, 'who shall police the policemen?'. Whoever it ought to be, the current set-up seems too biased in favour of the police policing themselves, surely not an ideal situation.
- Richard, Haringey, London, UK
Surely giving information to a Privy Counsellor (one of the Queen's closest advisors) can hardly be a radical thing that has happened for centuries....
Gordon Brown is reported to have accepted information from government insiders in the past....
- Mike Hudgell, Dublin, Ireland
Gordon Brown had repeatedly used confidential government documents when a member of the Opposition.
He must now be held accountable for the arrest of Damian Green. He should be summoned to the House of Commons to account for the actions of senior civil servants and members of his government!
- Manny Goldstein, London, UK
gordons got to do something to try and distract the people from the disastrous state that our country is in thanks to him
- Scouser, liverpool
How can we get a fair and transparent inquiry when we have a policeman investigating the police?? It is riddled with conflict of interest and it was only yesterday that Balls, a member of the coverup experts, stated that Haringay Council's investigation of itself was a whitewash or some such words. In the language of Nu-Labour, Haringay Council's investigation would have sufficed, except David Cameron, in a heated debate with Gordon Brown at PMQs, exposed that an investigation of themselves was riddled with conflicts of interest.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hants
Steady on guys. The Police are not perfect but they usually do a great job. I get the feeling that someone has set them up. This needs a full official inquiry to find out 'who' and 'why'. We need to find out why 15 anti-terrorist officers terrorised a man and his family.
It is certainly NOT in the interest of the Police to abuse their Anti- Terrorism powers since this would lead to reducing the 'custody' days as well as their overall powers. So there must be another reasons for these actions.
- Haskey, London SE1
Why not go the whole hog and arrest the entire shadow cabinet? Now there's a suggestion that tempts providence.
- John, manchester
The best thing Cameron could do is bring David Davis back onto the front bench asap. Davis is one of the very few principled politicians out there, and is a sure vote winner. Cameron's anger over Davis's resignation should have eased by now, and a way to get him back into a major role needs to be found.
On the issue of Davis being spoken to by the police, I almost hope it happens- Davis will be more than ready to withstand any attacks and become even more of a cause celebre than Damian Green. If I was a copper I wouldn't relish taking on Davis- nor if I was a member of the Labour Government would I relish Davis being arrested or questioned. This could all turn out rather interesting in the next few weeks.
- Richard, Haringey, London, UK
A "review" will prevent our leaders for answering any questions, for two weeks, then we all will have moved on.........a NuLeibor ploy and that's obviouse !
- Brian, wales
Hundreds of people are arrested everyday and Bail to Return at the police station. So why the outcry. Mr Green is innocent until proven guilty. He is just a suspect for aiding and abetting misconduct in public office. That is how are crminal justice system works. If there is anyone who want it to be cahanged let us know. Lets not politicise everything because of desperation.
- Alex Lisinge, Putney London
It now looks as if the Met knows it is in a big hole and has stopped all digging. Which just leaves the questions, who in the government knew what and when? Also this government has lied and spun so much and so often in the past, so who is going to believe anything they say or deny?
Personally I'd place this government's credibility way below that of a random used-car salesman or estate agent, and only slightly above that of a convicted paedophile denying that he's molesting children again.
- Nigel, London
Will someone PLEASE tell me what Damian Green is supposed to be guilty of? And while an inquiry is certainly called for, will it ask who alleged that a crime had been commited,because the Police themselves haven't got the wit to come up with something like this.
- Jeremiah, London
It is patently obvious that GB and J Smith are after David Davis in revenge for the 42 days flop. We can only hope that on this occasion David Cameron's support for him is a little warmer. Even he surely now realises that Mr Davis is a vote winner not a vote loser like certain others on his front bench.
- John, London
This affair is a turning point, one we have all been waiting for. I can see in the not too distant future, NuLab destroyed and Davis as Prime Minister.
- Dave Morris, Sunderland
Good for Mr.Davis. Again he is the only person making a real stand against this over-bearing, authoritarian government. The Met and the Home Secretary should both be under investigation for the handling of this affair and their application of anti-terror legislation way beyond it's intended remit.
- Mark, London
