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The best definition of a bully is of a man who "can give it but can't take it". As well as describing the intimidation, it includes the necessary elements of rank hypocrisy and unwarranted self-pity.
Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick of the Met can certainly give it - as MPs realised when his men rifled through Damian Green's Commons offices without so much as a search warrant.
Taking it is another matter, however. After The Mail on Sunday reported that Quick's wife was running a classic car hire business from his home, outraged innocence filled his throbbing chest.
I am no Sherlock Holmes. But I only needed to glance at the story to guess it had come from a disgruntled officer who wondered whether it was safe or wise for the head of his anti-terrorist division to allow his home address to be posted on the net.
Not so Mr Quick. In a raging outburst he had to apologise for yesterday, he cried that the "Tory machinery and their press friends" were mobilising against his investigation "in a wholly corrupt way". He was, he sighed, "very disappointed in the country I am living in".
The petulance was matched only by the ignorance. The Met, Government ministers and the Home Office civil service still don't get it. They still see themselves as victims of a sinister conspiracy rather than guilty men.
Allow me to put them straight. The harassing of an opposition MP and his family for the spurious "crime" of holding the Government to account certainly infuriated the Tory press. But my colleagues at the liberal Observer and I were equally furious. So too was the political editor of the Left-wing New Statesman, along with all the Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs who condemned the Met's abuse of the privileges of Parliament.
We are not part of a Conservative plot. We do not receive instructions from the "Tory machine" - if truth be told we barely know the names of David Cameron's functionaries at Conservative HQ, and would pay no heed to them if we did.
We merely believe that the House of Commons may be a poor thing but it is the best our democracy has got. If the police use a trumped-up charge to arrest an MP who has not endangered national security or acted corruptly, we will defend that MP regardless of his politics.
Mr Quick may be "disappointed in the country we are living in". Your behaviour, Mr Quick, has made a lot of others feel the same way.
Reader views (13)
OK. A senior police officer and his wife run a car hire business from their home. (Let's put to one side the fact that he is the head of anti-terrorism operations.)
He launches an utterly contemptible operation against a member of parliament for the opposition. Then, when someone points out the incongruity of Mr and Mrs Quick running a car hire business -Mr Quick's car is used, therefore hie IS involved in running the business- he launches a foaming-at-the-mouth attack on the Tories.
Interestingly, this leads weight to the claims of people who argue that Quick's raid was 'anti-Tory' and thus a political arrest.
Quick, quick! Resign! Quick!
- Matt, Telford England, 24/12/2008 00:04
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No R James, not a hanging offence. But no one is asking for that. They simply want senior police officers who can keep rather cooler than Mr Quick and display surer judgement.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 23/12/2008 21:33
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I was a serving member of the some 40 yaers ago. I am appalled at the present state of the Police Service, particularly in London - no way am I critical of the 'rank and file' but legislation and procedures put in place by the present Government, the ineptitude of the present Home Secretary and the clear political bias of senior Met officers has resulted in there being a Police Service in London in which no-one apart from Jackie Smith and her acolytes can have any pride.
No way can Mr Quick now be acceptable or creditable as the investigator of the Tory MP's treatment by the Police.
- David Pounds, Lee on the Solent, UK, 23/12/2008 18:58
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He reacted irrationally when he thought that his family was at risk.He has apologised. Not a hanging offence in my view
- R James, Bristol, 23/12/2008 18:55
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The day that people are allowed to use their own supposition as opposed to science is coming.
This is not the end. It's going to get worse.
Have a good christmas....
- Bhob, Ox, UK, 23/12/2008 14:55
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good article.that needed to be said and it was said well.
- James, london, 23/12/2008 14:02
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Thank you Nick. This is yet another episode on the quiet but determined rise of the police state under new labour. ID cards, 42 day detention without charge,inappropriate training for armed officers, retention of DNA and finger prints from innocent people and a supine Police Complaints Authority all mitigate against our freedoms.
Time for a change and get a government that will stand up to the Police bullies and gaurd our liberties.
- L G Measey, Leamington Spa, UK, 23/12/2008 12:19
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I am alarmed that a counter terrorist officer should react so hotly, and regret it later. Cool heads should be in the job description.
If indeed that is the truth................I think it more likely, that his unconsidered actions displayed a telling prejudice against the Tory party, not to mention a lack of focus on protecting you and me from clear and present dangers. The words he uses are interesting, don't you think?
- Melodie Crowther, Algarve, 23/12/2008 12:01
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It is typical of police to abuse their positions in bullying ordinary law bidding citizens but when they get caught, they are quick to shout "blue murder" and resent themselves as innocent victims.
- Kartar Badsha, Kentish Town, UK, 23/12/2008 11:59
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Bravo Cohen, exactly right.
- Tv, Hounslow, UK, 23/12/2008 11:52
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Nick Cohen is spot on. It certainly raises doubts about whether Mr Quick is the right person to be heading the Met's anti-terrorist unit if he can react in such a way.
- Kentish Observer, tunbridge wells,, 23/12/2008 11:40
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Here, Here. He's an absolute buffoon. Surely we can find someone better for such a sensitive role? The idea that we're supposed to have sympathy for his "moment of madness" at a time of "stress" beggars belief. Let's hope he's up to the stress of protecting us from mass murder.
- Andy B, St Albans, 23/12/2008 11:34
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This comment sums up our fears very well. Indeed, parliament may be lacking in many respects. But in the final resort our members of parliament are all that stands between our freedom and a dictatorship. When an MP’s office is rifled by the police, when confidential letters from that MP’s constituents are removed, when the acting head of the Met publishes some cringing excuse for the legality of what he has done then it is time the boot kicked in the opposition direction. Sorry, but a clear out in the Met is long overdue. It may discipline our other chief constables who are probably no better.
- Dr C R Westwood, crawley uk, 23/12/2008 10:38
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