Met Police commissioner says “I’m sorry” but local MPs say more action must be taken

Local MPs have said the finding that the Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic must be accepted by its commissioner and the home secretary to enable change to take place.

The review into culture and standards at the Met, conducted by Baroness Casey, was published this morning and includes a scathing assessment of the working practices at New Scotland Yard, following recent high-profile violent crime cases involving police officers, including the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by cop Wayne Couzens.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has described the findings of the Casey Review “damning” and said he expected “all the recommendations to be implemented quickly and in full”.

Enfield Southgate MP Bambos Charalambous said: “Baroness Casey’s report into the Met Police is deeply disturbing. Racist, sexist and homophobic abuse has run rife in the Met, with victims let down and trust in the police shattered.

“The home secretary must take action to address these failings.

“Without urgent and far-reaching reform, the Met will not regain the trust of people in our community in Enfield and communities across London.”

Enfield North MP Feryal Clark said on Twitter: “The Casey Review is damning… The finding that the Met is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic must be accepted by the home secretary and Met commissioner if we are to see meaningful reform.

“To gain my constituents’ confidence, the Met must demonstrate change!”

Edmonton MP Kate Osamor also tweeted: “The Casey Review has found that the Met is institutionally racist, corrupt and homophobic.

“[Met commissioner Sir Mark] Rowley doesn’t accept the terms ‘institutional racism, corruption and homophobia’. He needs to be removed and replaced with somebody who can begin the major change that must now begin.”

Jas Athwal, the executive member for community safety and violence against women and girls at representative body London Councils, added: “The Casey report is bleak, and it sets out in black and white the Metropolitan Police Service’s failings that unfortunately will resonate with too many Londoners’ experiences of the Met. It highlights the concerning experiences of women, young people and people from ethnic minorities in particular.

“A city as diverse as London needs a police force which reflects the communities it serves, and a police service which all Londoners feel they will be treated fairly by, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality or any other characteristic which is part of your identity.

“The swift and decisive action that Sir Mark Rowley has taken to cut out the rot within the service since he took office in the autumn must continue at pace.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Following a series of scandals, I asked for this independent review to be conducted by Baroness Louise Casey because I was deeply concerned about the cultural issues and systemic failings within the Met.

“The evidence is damning. Baroness Casey has found institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia, which I accept. She has described the Met as defensive, resistant to change and unwilling to engage with communities.

“As mayor, I’ve acted to put the Met on a path of far-reaching systematic and cultural reform, with the appointment of a new commissioner and leadership team who acknowledge the scale of the problems and are committed to change. But clearly much more needs to be done, and fast.”

Sir Mark Rowley has said in response to the Casey Report today: “The appalling examples in this report of discrimination, the letting down of communities and victims, and the strain faced by the frontline, are unacceptable. We have let people down and I repeat the apology I gave in my first weeks to Londoners and our own people in the Met. I am sorry.

“I want us to be anti-racist, anti-misogynist and anti-homophobic. In fact, I want us to be anti-discrimination of all kinds.

“There are external factors – funding, governance, growing demand and resource pressures that shouldn’t sit with policing – that the report has identified. Baroness Casey is right to identify the impact these have had on our ability to police London, but there can be no excuses for us.”

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