City Hall ‘tried to gag’ Met Police chief Cressida Dick over her resignation, report claims
- City Hall officials wanted the Met chief to sign a gagging clause, report says
- Cressida Dick quit her role after the London Mayor said he lost confidence in her
- However Sadiq Khan reportedly said that she should be allowed to speak freely
City Hall officials wanted outgoing Met chief Cressida Dick to sign a confidentiality clause to prevent her from speaking about the manner of her early departure from the role, it was reported last night.
However, the London mayor overruled them, sources close to Sadiq Khan said, adding he had directed that Dame Cressida be permitted to say what she wants about the public fallout that led to her resignation.
The commissioner quit last month after Mr Khan said he had lost confidence in her following a series of scandals at the Met.
There has also been an ‘acrimonious’ row over the size of her payout, The Times reported.
Cressida Dick Commissioner of the Met Police (pictured) was reportedly asked to sign a confidentiality clause so that she would not be able to speak about
Sadiq Khan (pictured), who announced he had lost confidence in the Met commissioner last month, reportedly vetoed the decision to try and make Cressida Dick sign a confidentiality clause
Despite Mr Khan arguing Dame Cressida was not legally entitled to compensation of about £500,000 because she had not signed an extension to her contract, she is said to have held firm and is expected to get a large sum.
Home Secretary Priti Patel is expected to announce an inquiry this week into the handling of Dame Cressida’s resignation.
A City Hall source said an agreement is expected to be reached in due course, which will allow the Home Office to begin the process to recruit Dame Cressida’s successor.
A spokesman said: ‘Public trust in the Met Police is at the lowest level on record, following a series of devastating scandals including the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer and the overt racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia and discrimination exposed at Charing Cross Police Station and the appalling strip search of a Black schoolchild where the Child Safeguarding review found that race was a factor.
‘It was against this backdrop that the Mayor lost confidence in the ability of the current Met Commissioner to lead the deep-rooted change needed.
‘The Mayor will now work with the Home Secretary to appoint a new Commissioner who understands the depths of the problems faced by the force and has a plan to restore the trust and confidence of Londoners.’
Source: Read Full Article