Watchdog places Met Police in special measures following a string of scandals

Responding to the announcement that the Met police force has been put in ‘special measures’ by the policing watchdog after a string of scandals, accusations of misogyny and racism, and a failure to log 69,000 crimes per year. Susan Hall, Leader of the GLA Conservatives commented:

"Sadiq Khan is the Police and Crime commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Service. The buck stops with him.

Khan should be embarrassed with the decision to put the Met into special measures but instead, he has welcomed it in order to deflect any blame that sits with him.

This is a Mayor who refuses to take responsibility. He has let Londoners down deeply.

This troubling news is the latest in a line of setbacks for the MPS during Sadiq Khan’s mayoralty.

Khan is supposed to be responsible for the totality of policing in London. This damning indictment is a sign of his total failure to deliver for Londoners.

It is Sadiq Khan's job to set the strategic direction of policing in London and he has shown time and time again there is no real plan to tackle crime and improve the Met.

Rather than take responsibility and take tough decisions, he has left the problems at the feet of the new incoming Commissioner.

Khan owes it to Londoners and our hardworking police officers to choose action over words and improve the state of policing in London."