Mayor failed to consult over Ian Blair, MPA claims
06 October 2008
News Release | Jenny Jones, Green Party London Assembly Member
For immediate release, 6 October 2008
MAYOR FAILED TO CONSULT OVER IAN BLAIR, MPA CONFIRMS
The following motion, moved by Jenny Jones AM at the Metropolitan Police Authority, was passed today:
“We believe that decisions concerning the confidence of Londoners in their Commissioner need to be taken by the Metropolitan Police Authority, with its cross party and independent membership, reflecting a broad range of Londoners views.”
Jenny also called for a hand count of Metropolitan Police Authority members, which showed that a clear majority had not been consulted.
Jenny Jones, commented:
“It is clear that when the Mayor took over as chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and told the Commissioner that he had no confidence in him, he should have been speaking on behalf of the Authority. Yet it is also clear that the Mayor did not consult all the members of the Authority about whether they wanted Ian Blair to go.
“It is important that we that have policing by consent in London and that means having a consensus on the MPA about policing. The way the Mayor usurped the authority of the MPA over Ian Blair’s resignation broke that consensus, as he failed to listen to a range of Londoners' views, as represented on the MPA.”
ENDS
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