Lib Dems Call for Independent inquiry into phone tapping
In a letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne has called for an independent inquiry into the allegations of widespread phone tapping by newspapers or their investigators.
Mr Huhne points out that the Metropolitan Police is in the firing line because it may have neglected its duty either to prosecute the serious offence of tapping and because it failed to alert victims of tapping. Chris Huhne said:
"An independent inquiry by either the Independent Police Complaints Commission or another police force would be more appropriate than a further investigation by the Met.
"Why did prosecutions not take place? Why were the victims of tapping not informed? These are matters that the Metropolitan Police must answer."
The full text of the letter is below:
Sir Paul Stephenson
Commissioner, Metropolitan Police
Dear Sir Paul,
I understand that you have asked the specialist operations department of the Metropolitan Police to investigate the allegations surrounding bugging reported today in the Guardian. Clearly John Yates has replaced Bob Quick in charge of this department, but I am concerned that a department that may have failed in its duty to investigate some serious crimes is now being asked to investigate whether there has been any neglect of duty. After all, one of the clear issues here is whether the department merely dropped matters after prosecuting Clive Goodman because that had effectively ended the Royal connection, and its remit does not normally include many others who, if the reports are correct, were also bugged by newspapers or investigators working on their behalf. Why did prosecutions not take place? Why were the victims of bugging not informed? These are matters that the Metropolitan Police must answer.
In the circumstances, I hope you would agree with me that an independent inquiry from either the Independent Police Complaints Commission or from another force would be more appropriate than a further investigation by the Met. Indeed, I understand that the statutory requirement is for an appropriate investigation. In the circumstances, I wonder if you feel it would be better to ask another force with similar experience and senior officers with security clearance (such as Greater Manchester or the West Midlands) to investigate the matter. I would be grateful for your comments.
Yours sincerely,
Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary
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