Sadiq Khan rejects a report that said Police Chief Cressida Dick was ‘intimidated’ into resigning

Dame Cressida Dick came under “political stress” from Sadiq Khan to resign as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. A Friday report stated that she “felt intimidated”.

Dick quit in February after Khan said that Khan “left no other choice .”

A report–commissioned by Home Secretary Priti Patel–by the former chief inspector of constabulary, Sir Tom Winsor, said her departure was effectively a constructive dismissal.

Khan instantly rejected Winsor’s findings, claiming he was “clearly biased” and ignored the facts .”

Dick had on February 4th drawn plans to reform the force following a series of scandals. However, she suddenly resigned hours later, stating that she did not intend to quit.

Her deputy, Sir Stephen House wrote to Patel “expressing grave doubts” regarding the lack of due process.

Cressida Dick Was Given ‘Ultimatum’

In his report, Winsor said Khan, through his chief of staff, gave Dick an “ultimatum” on Feb. 10 and told her: “If the commissioner did not attend a meeting and convince the mayor that her plan of February 4 would be improved, he would make a statement to the media.”

Dick declined to attend the meeting, and the chief of staff to the mayor gave her an opportunity to choose whether she wanted to stay or go.

“She was afraid of this and decided to step aside. I understand it,” Winsor said.

Winsor reports: “The mayor put pressure on the commissioner to resign. That pressure was of such intensity that it effectively called for her to quit office. This pressure is outside the established procedure and against the larger legislative scheme .”

He said “none of the statutory steps set out in section 48 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011” were followed.

A profile photograph of Sir Mark Rowley, the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner, taken in London in July 2022. (Metropolitan Police)

Sir Mark Rowley will take the role of commissioner in late June. The force has been placed into special measures since June. This presents a daunting task.

Kit Malthouse was the then Policing Minister and accused Khan of “sleeping at the wheel” with regard to the Metropolitan Police.

Plagued with Scandals

In the last two years the force has been plagued with scandals–the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer; racist, misogynist, and homophobic messages exchanged by officers at Charing Cross police station; the strip-searching of “Child Q”; and the “seemingly incomprehensible” failures in the investigation into serial killer Stephen Port, which led to a decision on June 23 this year to reinvestigate police officers.

House was pleased to receive Winsor’s “thorough, impartial report”, and Dick called it a “highly detailed, forensic account .”

“.

Khan stated, “Londoners can see that this review clearly biases and ignores facts .”

Khan, who was re-elected as Mayor in May 2021, said: “On the former commissioner’s watch, trust in the police fell to record lows following a litany of terrible scandals. It was quite simple. I began to doubt the ability of the ex-commissioner to bring about the necessary changes and she chose to step aside .”

” I make no apology for asking for better London and for prioritizing the interests of London,” he said.

Dick insists: “At every time I tried to uphold and act ethically, with goodwill and professionalism, openness and trust. The need to have democratic oversight over policing is something I respect. Also, it is important for politicians to respect the law .”

and not violate them.

PA Media contributed to this report.