Caroline Lucas calls for justice for Ian Tomlinson

27 July 2010

Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader and MP for Brighton Pavilion, has tabled an Early Day Motion to express her disquiet at how the death and inquiry of Ian Tomlinson was handled.

Lucas has called on City of London coroner Professor Paul Matthews to step aside because of his decision to appoint Dr Freddy Patel to conduct the post mortem examination.

Lucas said: "Ian Tomlinson's family has already suffered for 16 months and public confidence in the police and the investigation processes has been severely affected by this case. It is therefore crucial that an early date is set for the Inquest and to remove serious questions about conflict of interest, the coroner should step aside."

Lucas also called upon the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to appoint a judge to oversee a "prompt and effective" inquest into the "far-ranging issues" raised by the case, and that the Tomlinson family should receive public funds to support their legal challenge.

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The full text of the Early Day Motion tabled tonight:

INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF IAN TOMLINSON

That this House notes the public interest and disquiet over the case of Ian Tomlinson and the threat to public trust and confidence in the Police that this case poses; further notes that the Independent Police Complaints Commission failed to investigate this death for seven days and how this failure has undermined public trust and confidence in the police complaints system; further notes the controversy over the appointment of the pathologist, Dr Freddie Patel, and notes the possibility of a conflict of interest in the inquest as currently constituted; therefore, calls upon the Secretary of State for Justice to appoint a judge as coroner to conduct a prompt and effective inquest into the far ranging issues this case raises; and calls upon the Legal Services Commission to provide public funding for Ian Tomlinson's family to be legally represented.

 

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