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The Metropolitan Police has, according to Boris Johnson's deputy for policing, Kit Malthouse, been brought under greater control by the Mayor. The Home Office, he suggests in The Guardian, is less important than before in approving the decisions made by police chiefs. Instead, he says, the Mayor and his team have their "hands on the tiller" in setting policing priorities.
Of course, there will be critics of what is inevitably seen as this politicisation of the Met, particularly after Sir Ian Blair had to resign when he lost the confidence of the Mayor. Right now, Mr Johnson has implicit confidence in the judgment of the present Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson. And obviously, no mayor with sense would seek direct control over operational matters that are properly the responsibility of the Commissioner.
Yet if a Labour mayor like Ken Livingstone were to impose rather different priorities on the force - as his Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, arguably did with his emphasis on inclusivity and diversity in the Met - the Tories might find a more politicised police rather less to their liking. This is a development that could cut both ways. But at least a London mayor has an electoral mandate directly from the people of London, which is more than can be said for the Home Secretary.
Regardless of the politics of the mayoralty, there is surely a consensus about the fundamental purpose of the Met, which is to maintain law and order in the capital. Yet, as we report today, there has been a troubling increase in gun violence, brought about by gang shootings. Violence perpetrated by gangs on gangs has been accompanied by an increase in gunpoint robberies, countering a recent decrease in gun crime.
There may, as police say, be relatively few cases where the victim of a mugging will actually be threatened with a gun but this is a development that must be contained. If Mr Johnson, in his new role in directing police priorities, wants a challenge, this is it. But the corollary of taking a more proactive role is that if street crime is not tackled successfully, people may well blame the Mayor as well as the Government. Mr Johnson has raised the game for any future mayor as well as for himself.
Darling's dilemma
The best of luck to the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, in his efforts to persuade the G20 group of industrialised nations to spend their way out of recession. Mr Darling is directing his strictures at Germany and France which are, reportedly, seeking "exit strategies" from measures designed to stimulate their economies agreed at the last summit. Mr Darling says that governments must continue spending to return the global economy to sustainable growth. "The biggest single risk to recovery is that people think the job is done," he says.
There will be plenty of opportunity for the Chancellor to make his views felt when G20 finance ministers meet in London this weekend. But he must be prepared for a robust reception from France and Germany, which, unlike Britain, have already emerged from recession. Britain is not perhaps best placed to argue for states to become yet more indebted, having entered this recession with unprecedented levels of consumer, corporate and state debt. Germany had conspicuously less. Each state will seek the solution that suits the needs of its own economy. And if some of our partners feel that Britain has gone too far in spending its way out of recession, our economic performance makes it hard to argue otherwise.
Debating the issue
There is nothing quite like the excitement of live debate, and the one tonight, which we host with Intelligence Squared, on whether Churchill was more of a liability than an asset, will prove the point. Churchill was one of our greatest leaders but every truth is stronger for being vigorously argued with. Let battle commence!
Reader views (1)
It is anathema to impartial policing for political control of operational matters to take place. It is no
business of here today, gone tomorrow members of a self-
serving political party to exercise such power or influence. Police chiefs are already accountable in an
overall context and that is the way it should stay.
- Mark Newberry, London - UK, 03/09/2009 19:37
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