This morning I joined a call with Sarah Jones MP, Shadow Policing Minister, to discuss the findings of the Casey Review into culture and standards within the Met.

It was clear from last year’s interim findings that this report was going to be damning for the Met. It is. It has found institutional racism, misogyny, homophobia and ableism in an organisation that is supposed to be there to keep Londoners safe.  It will rightly horrify people, but sadly for too many it will come as little surprise.

Our community must feel that the Police will be there when they need them and that they have a police service they can trust to keep them safe. Serving Met officers must have confidence that they will be supported when they report concerns and that police officers found to be responsible for unacceptable behaviour will be rooted out.

It is glaringly clear from this report that we have a long way to go to meet those goals.  Today I asked the Home Secretary what she’s doing to stand up for victims who’ve failed and ensure they receive the justice they deserve.

I welcome the work Mayor Sadiq Khan has already been doing with the appointment of the new Commissioner Mark Rowley and a leadership team that acknowledges the scale of the problems and has committed to change.  Mayor Khan called for this report and this morning I have been glad to see immediate recognition of the need to implement all Casey’s recommendations without any delay.

The report also lays bare the devastating impact of 13 years of Tory austerity on our neighbourhood police teams, who are the bread and butter of policing and who deserve a lot better. £1 billion has been taken out of the budget with officer numbers falling below 30,000 in London.  These cuts have consequences and reform of the Met must also mean rebuilding neighbourhood policing and strengthening the ties between the Police and London’s communities.

Today is a dark day for the Metropolitan Police.  It must also be the beginning of a long road to restoring confidence by implementing Casey’s recommendations in full and delivering the step changes in culture, standards, and performance that our community so desperately needs.

On a local level I will continue to meet regularly with Haringey’s Borough Commander and follow up with the Met Commissioner and the Mayor of London until we get the change, and the police force, we need.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me to share your thoughts on the report.

Catherine West MP
Labour MP for Hornsey & Wood Green