Metropolitan Police Federation turns against London Mayor saying it has ‘no faith’ in him following Cressida Dick’s resignation
The Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents more than 31,000 officers in London, has said it has “no faith” in London Mayor Sadiq Khan following the resignation of Dame Cressida Dick last week.
Ken Marsh, chairman of the federation, said: “We have let the Mayor’s office know in no uncertain terms how our brave and diligent colleagues deserve better.”
“Officers in London feel saddened and angry that the Commissioner Cressida Dick has been pushed out in the way she has. She was reforming. She was changing. The culture is changing”, he added.
He criticised the involvement of politicians in the process and the damning statement further strains relations between the force and the Mayor.
The Metropolitan Police Federation said it was “sickened” by incidents that have marred the police force over the past year, but asserted that they were “not reflective of an entire workforce”, adding that “enough is enough” in response to Khan’s criticism.
Dick resigned late last Thursday, after a new report published by the police watchdog showed text and WhatsApp messages between police officers which were sexist, homophobic and racist in nature and included jokes about rape, which some officers shrugged off as “banter.”
This comes against the wider backdrop of scandal for the Met, including the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer, as well as ongoing accusations of homophobia and racism in the force.
For Khan, this was regarded as the last straw for Dick’s role as the most senior police officer, and he said he had put her “on notice”.
The Home Secretary Priti Patel is now in the process of selecting a replacement for Dick, which she will consult Khan on.