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Met chief ‘must quit for calling Tories corrupt’
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor22 Dec 2008
The Tories called on a Met chief to consider his position today despite his unreserved apology for describing the party as “wholly 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”.
Reader views (32)
Role Reversal: Conservatives unhappy with the Police.
Labour happy with the Police.
Lack of wisdom: Mr Quick attacking the people who will be his boss in two years time (if he is still there)and the party of the Mayor.
Prediction: a multi-million pound pay-off package for Mr Quick.
Advice for Mr Quick: take the money and run or learn to be a servant and be a little less arrogant.
- Stephen C, London, 22/12/2008 18:59
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Keith Price
Anyone who has Brown's 'full support' has much to fear and even more to hide.
- Chuck Unsworth, London, 22/12/2008 18:21
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Sack him - the police get worse and worse every year. With people like Bob Quick in high authority that is not surprising.
Get rid of bad rubbish.
- Anglo, Sussex UK, 22/12/2008 18:17
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The fella has said sorry, sorry is indeed the hardest word. The Tories should now show how big they are by drawing a line under the affair. They will get more respect than by pushing it like another party I could mention.
- John, Llandudno, Wales, 22/12/2008 17:50
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Don't pick a fight with politicians. You can't win.
- Steve, london, 22/12/2008 17:45
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Obviously the man is overpromoted. Once again bad officers at the top setting the wrong example.
Sort out the top men at the yard please. They used to all pull together as a team ,now they sue one another and
blab away to the press at the drop of a truncheon.
"What an absolute shower" as Terry Thomas would say.
- Mordwinoff, Lisle France, 22/12/2008 17:31
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He is obviously suffering from stress and should be retired as his judgement is more than suspect.
- Roger Slade, Winchester, Hampshire, England, 22/12/2008 17:14
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I would guess that Bob Quick would have been better occupied looking inwards into the police organisation for the people who leaked the story about his partner openly using the address of Britain's most senior counter-terrorist poiceman to promote a taxi business. It doesn't matter how fancy the cars are, it is still just a taxi business with a sideline in car rental.
Maybe he should invite a Chief Constable from another authority to carry out a leak investigation.
- Robert, Dumbarton, 22/12/2008 17:10
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Please have a look at him, as he appears in that photo at the top of the page.
Now, do you really think he is going to resign with an air of elegant defiance?
- Horace, London, UK, 22/12/2008 17:00
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A senior police officer who makes public serious allegations that are so unfounded as to require withdrawal the next day, is surely not someone who should be in charge of Anti-Terror police work or indeed in charge of any police unit. His allegations were quite outrageous. The only political point of note in this saga seems to me to be Jacqui Smith's muddle-headed support for the man.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 22/12/2008 16:55
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He,s calling the tory party corrupt. I guess all the met police at the houses of parliement whipping up the cause of the red flag singing mob is not corrupt. Resign now please.
- Ebin Donk, uk, 22/12/2008 16:38
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Running a business from his home? How dare he! Is he paying business rates for a domestic property? Cheeky boy!!
- Alan, England, 22/12/2008 16:27
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Quit ?! But why? He fears the lawsuit that he would be served with for telling the truth as he did.
Stupidity runs amok in Nu labour's ranks. Never tell the truth where a lie will do.
Duh!
- Minnie, London,UK, 22/12/2008 16:26
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Quit ?! But why? He fears the lawsuit that he would be served with for telling the truth as he did. Thank God he has the PM's full support
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 22/12/2008 16:05
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Whatever the political colour, the knives are out for Bob Quick. I am sickened by the obvious bullying tactics by the media and party politics which has attempted to derail his efforts.
- Tim Hale, Sherborne, Dorset, 22/12/2008 16:01
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It appears that Mr Price's leftish bent surfaced. Is there a smell of Mandleson in the air.
J.L. Sheffield
- John Sturrock Lister, sheffield, 22/12/2008 15:59
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He's obviously retaliating for the Conservative Party's role in the cash-for-honours affair. The police and politics have now merged, the police are just another arm of the ruling political party. Anti Terrorism now should read "Internal Security."
- John, Llandudno, Wales, 22/12/2008 15:34
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Astonishing that Ms Smith's contribution is to say that saying in his behaviour, which he admits has been coloured by these 'difficulties', "had not brought into question his that the row had not brought into question his judgment and impartiality.
You can't use what amounts to 'poor judgement and bias' as an explanation for something, whilst at the same time claiming that it hasn't brought into question that the row had not brought into question his "judgment and impartiality.
- Charles Faid, London, 22/12/2008 15:22
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Keith Price Luton, Would that be UNISON's official position then Keith?
- Rusty Shackleford, UK, 22/12/2008 15:22
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It is about time that the ‘law’ was on the side of the citizen, protecting them from those in power, rather than on the side of ‘the system’ protecting it against the citizen. We need more whistleblowers and their information should be treated seriously – with sanctions against those who are told of wrongdoing and who nevertheless ignore or minimise the impact of such information.
I speak as a whistleblower who has spent 11 years trying to obtain justice through a system that protects itself against honesty.
- Alfred Vella, Milton Keynes, 22/12/2008 15:21
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... and this idiot is in charge of counter-terrorism in the UK? God help us all!
- David E. Jones, Maidenhead, UK, 22/12/2008 14:52
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Do we really want a head of anti-terrorism who has a fit of the vapours and throws a hissy-fit just because the press report on his domestic circumstances? Someone a bit more in control of his emotions might be a good idea.
- Brentford, West London, 22/12/2008 14:51
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Keith Price, that chip on your shoulder getting you down? I notice, like a good Labour party worker, you didn't actually make any comment on the news story, rather just attack the other people leaving comments.
Given his postion, and the intensity around the Damian Green arrest, I would say he should resign for this, as a "heat of the moment mistake" is not good enough an excuse for someone of his position. He is clearly not a stupid man to have got to the rank he has, but to get so worked up by a press report, directly accuse a third-party, and then bring in the spectre of potential litigation (by stating he will consult his solicitor), one does have to wonder about his focus and judgement.
Jackie Smith's response is just typical Jackie Smith...have a thought, express it without really understanding the prevailing issue, or feeling, at hand.
- Md, London, UK, 22/12/2008 14:45
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He made a mistake in the heat of the moment & has apologised (more than anyone in New Labour has done. That should be the end of the matter. Of more concern is Jackie Smith's resppnse - once again full of spin & innuendo. First she refers to AC Quick as "Bob" - which seems to imply an innapropriate familiarity on such a serious issue. Second, she says he has "retracted SOME of the things he has said" - implying that some of what he said might still be true. In fact he said "I retract my comments" - all of them "Jackie"
- Malcolm, London, 22/12/2008 14:01
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Chairman of Make-A-Quick-Bob, Bob Quick says it were nuffink to do wiv 'im, it wuz his mrs, and that's 'not against the rules'**
"Last night, Mrs Make-A-Quick-Bob, 43, declined to comment and asked that any questions about the business be put to Scotland Yard. But a Met spokesman said: ‘Inquiries about the company should be referred to the company.’
How Nu-Liebour, how Catch22.
**Copyright Nu-Labour ThievesRUs
- 45govt, Barbados, 22/12/2008 13:43
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"send him packing back to the counties"
What a typical piece of arrogance from a suburban Tory
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 22/12/2008 13:24
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"the 'New Labour Metropolitan Party Police" is a very strong andd false accusation. I can see why you are known as "rusty" with loose accusations like that one
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 22/12/2008 13:05
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The question is why was Britain's anti-terror chief involved in this fiasco anyway. The leak and its use by an MP to expose a pack of lies was not an act of terror. We have seen anti-terror legislation that was introduce to protect our liberties being used all over the country by the police and local government to do just what they were supposed not to do, and that is to trample on those very liberties. This clown and the other top guy at the met should go now, and be sacked before they have the chance to resign with a load of benefits. They are destroying this country's police force, and because of the likes of them the community orientated bobbie on the beat we all grew up to respect is becoming a thing of the past. We do not want this type of police force and we do not want the civil liberty groups that spring up in response to this type of policing.
- Dr C R Westwood, crawley uk, 22/12/2008 12:36
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Time to resign - he is odviously over promoted. send him packing back to the counties
- Alastair J S Adams, Worcester Park, Surrey, 22/12/2008 11:39
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Quick employed deception and bullying to gain entry to Damian Green's offices and homes. Not content with that fiasco, they have to adopt bullying tactics with newspapers and the Conservative Party.
These imbeciles at plod seem to think they are invulnerable, probably with some justification since they have now been thoroughly politicized by Labour.
What a mess !!
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hants, 22/12/2008 11:33
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Shows just how political the 'New Labour Metropolitan Party Police' are these days doesn't it. 'Mind how you go' soon to be replaced by 'Elect Crash Gordon or else'.
BTW- I read a few weeks how he was named 'Quick' for the sake of irony. Beginning to see how astute that was.
- Rusty Shackleford, UK, 22/12/2008 10:58
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Cameron, Green and Johnson have made the Tory Party into a laughing stock. Is it any wonder they are falling fast in the opinion polls?
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 22/12/2008 10:56
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