Two months ago, I reported that there was a petition brought to the Metropolitan Police Authority asking for an extra 120 police officers for Waltham Forest.  The Police and the DCiC*, Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse AM, were clearly unhappy about the idea of unpicking the Resource Allocation Formula that determines local policing strength just for one Borough, but it was promised that Assistant Commissioner McPherson would visit the Borough to see for himself what the issues were (I am told that in fact he has visited the Borough twice since then).

Today, at a meeting of the MPA’s Strategic and Operational Policing Committee, I spotted some interesting performance statistics about policing in Waltham Forest.  In the year to end-February 2010, total notifiable offences in Waltham Forest have risen by 5.3% compared with the twelve months before – the second highest increase of any Borough in London.  Even more significantly, Waltham Forest features amongst the bottom three Boroughs for sanction detection rates (the standard crime “clear up” measure – the proportion of offences leading to a judicial sanction against the perpetrator) for most areas of crime: burglary (where Waltham Forest’s rate was a quarter of the best-performing Borough); motor vehicle crime (a tenth of the best-performer); robbery (a third of the best performer); knife crime (less than half of the best); and sexual offences (also less than half of the best).

Now, there are plenty of possible reasons for these figures.  It may not be that the Borough necessarily needs more police officers.  The statistics might reflect the poor management of the policing resources available or might be a consequence of poor partnership with the local council or might even just be a temporary statistical blip.  However, the figures do raise real concerns, which is no doubt why Assistant Commissioner McPherson is taking it so seriously and why Waltham Forest’s Labour Greoup was right to raise the issue in the first place.

*DCiC=Dog-Catcher-in-Chief

Victoria Borwick AM has had a good day at the Metropolitan Police Authority.  Not only was the report of the Civil Liberties Panel, which she chairs, on public order policing accepted with universal support from Authority members, but she also displayed a note of acid wit ….

Right at the end of the MPA meeting there was an item on appointing a new Independent Member, following the unexpected and sudden resignation of Deborah Regal.  I suggested that it might be a good idea to discuss what skill gaps there were on the Authority that might be filled by a new appointment.  And Victoria Borwick’s instant response?

“Whoever it is needs to know how to do up the buttons on their shirt.”

Now what can she have meant …..?

The DCiC*  needs to watch it – she’ll be the Tory candidate for Mayor when Mayor Boris Johnson stands down (as I suspect he will in the first few months of 2012) before he know it.

*Dog-Catcher-in-Chief  (aka Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse AM)

The Metropolitan Police Authority is in session and the DCiC* (Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse AM) is in the Chair.  The meeting has a comparatively heavy agenda – at least in comparison to recent meetings when the Conservative Party’s policy of trying not to discuss anything but the Commissioner’s Report at full Authority meetings.

On the Bill today (sorry, unintentional pun) is the long-awaited report of the MPA’s Civil Liberties Panel on public order policing (arising from the issues around the G20 protests) and approval of the Policing London Business Plan for the next three years.  What is more the DCiC has told members that he wants to finish promptly at 12 noon, so that there can be a private meeting of Authority members to discuss the MPA’s own priorities.

This means that the DCiC will have to use his (rarely used) powers of patience, courtesy and charm to get through the business expeditiously without cutting off any members in full flow.  So far, he is doing fine.

But everyone is on their best behaviour.  Jenny Jones AM is clearly trying to curry favour and is acting as teacher’s pet – fetching the DCiC’s coffee without being asked (of course, I don’t know whether she has put anything in it to induce a mellow haze in the DCiC).

It is left to Anne McMeel, the Metropolitan Police’s Director of Resources, to introduce the first touch of asperity with her put-down of Dee Doocey AM who asks for more detail on the costs of operations and is told that it is in the report to the Finance and Resources Sub-Committee “admittedly on the last page”, implying that Liberal Democrats don’t read all the way through to the end.

But the clock is ticking and the Commissioner’s Report item hasn’t been finished yet and there is only 50 minutes of normal time left.  And the DCiC has chewed his way through two pen caps and is shuffling backwards and forwards in his chair.

*Dog-Catcher-in-Chief

An obscure Conservative MP, Philip Hollobone, has been referred to the Police follwoing his remarks that a burka  was ‘the religious equivalent of going around with a paper bag over your head with two holes for the eyes’ for allegedly inciting religious hatred.

Now there is a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, who as it happens is also an elected member of the London Assembly, that customarily uses the term “bin bag” instead – I wonder whether they are worried that they might now be investigated?

• Created a new right of pedestrian access to the English coast, so that every family has the opportunity to enjoy the length and breadth of our coastline.
• In the last four years Labour’s work overseas has helped over 7 million people in sub-Saharan Africa access clean water and sanitation.
• In Europe we signed the Social Chapter and introduced measures including four weeks’ paid holiday, a right to parental leave, extended maternity leave, a new right to request flexible working, and the same protection for part-time  workers as full-time workers.
• We led efforts to agree a new international convention banning all cluster munitions.
• We introduced the first ever British Armed Forces and Veterans Day to honour the achievements of our armed forces – both past and present.

• Launched the Swimming Challenge Fund to support free swimming for over 60s and under 16s.
• Banned fox hunting.
• Led the campaign to win the 2012 Olympics for London.
• Free admission to our national museums and galleries.
• Devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, an elected Mayor and Assembly for London and directly-elected mayors for those cities that want them.

The DCiC*, Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse AM, has in a moment of emotional transparency told the readers of  the March issue of The Job (the Metropolitan Police in-house magazine for police officers) about his formative influences.  Lauding the Volunteer Police Cadets scheme and the Scouts Association, he says:

“It is exactly these types of organisations that deserve our support.  They build self-respect, character and a sense of duty to others – qualities we need more of in the capital.”

And then comes the self-revelatory bit:

“In fact, I was an enthusiastic young scout and air cadet and look at the direction my own life went in.”

At this very moment the Scouts Association is planning a new poster campaign:

JOIN THE SCOUTS AND YOU COULD GET TO BE LIKE ME

*Dog-Catcher-in-Chief

UPDATE:

The DCiC has been in touch.  He thinks I am being a tad unfair.  I’ve told him to blame the picture on the Evening Standard.  But it turns out that what he is really miffed about is that his self-deprecatory exclamation mark at the end of his comment “… and look at the direction my own life went in” was missed off by The Job.

I always knew that there was an irony bypass somewhere in New Scotland Yard so it was probably edited out.

The question is: will heads roll?

I have had a rather scary thought.

This evening there was a meeting of the Labour Peers’ Group.  Now normally I follow a strict rule that I never post on this blog about private meetings I have attended, nor reveal any privileged information I acquire on such occasions.  However, to explain my scary thought I have to reveal just a little about this meeting. (I promise I won’t deviate again.)

This evening’s meeting received an oral briefing from Black Rod, who is amongst other things responsible for security in the House of Lords and about which he was briefing colleagues.

I have just remembered the last time Black Rod (or rather his predecessor) attended a meeting of the Labour Peers. It was for a similar purpose.  And I remember on the previous occasion a number of (very) senior colleagues making scathing remarks about the need for any greater security in the Palace of Westminster (there was no repetition this evening I am pleased to say).

And the date of this previous visit? 

Wednesday 6th July 2005. 

Remember what happened the following morning ……

Earlier today, a leading Islamic scholar, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, issued a comprehensive fatwa which in 600 pages of argument ruled that terrorists were enemies of Islam, that suicide bombers were heading for hell, and that “There is no place for any martyrdom and their act is never, ever to be considered Jihad.”

The fatwa was issued in London at an event organised and funded by Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) UK.  I heard about this from the Quilliam Foundation, which said:

“This fatwa has the potential to be a highly significant step towards eradicating Islamist terrorism. Fatwas by Wahhabi-influenced clerics and Islamist ideologues initiated modern terrorism against civilians. Terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda continue to justify their mass killings with self-serving readings of religious scripture.  Fatwas that demolish and expose such theological innovations will consign Islamist terrorism to the dustbin of history.”

This is apparently the most comprehensive fatwa (religious ruling) on terrorism ever issued and will set a clear context for those Muslims who are seeking a clear lead from mainstream scholars.

It looks as though a key element of the Conservative Party’s election strategy is going to be the deniable dog-whistle.

The Observer has revealed today that in a seemingly concerted initiative leaflets have been circulated by the Conservative Party in Andrew Rosindell’s constituency of Romford saying that immigration has caused a population control and that EU treaty obligations on free movement of labour would somehow be over-ridden by a Tory Government.

At the same time, Loanna Morrison, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Bermondsey and Old Southwark has endorsed the BNP writing on Conservativehome:  “Britain is full, declares Nick Griffin at every opportunity, and he is right.”

Officially, of course, the Tory Party denies that either reflects official Party policy and can distance the Party from such free-lance comments by “junior” politicians.  In reality, the comments come from an official candidate selected to be a Conservative MP and the other comes with the imprint of a sitting Conservative MP.

I expect we will get more of this.