On Friday nights Radio 4 Any Questions one of the questions related to the appalling failure of judgement by the Metropolitan Police in choosing to investigate the family and friends of Stephen Lawrence during the aftermath of Stephens murder. The panel on the programme included Bernard Jenkin MP who suggested that this catastrophic decision represented a systemic failure. His remedy was for a Parliamentary Committee to look at the issue of Policing standards. He nominated the Committee on Standards in Public Life which according to its own website was ‘established in 1994, initially to deal with concerns about unethical conduct amongst MPs, including accepting financial incentives for tabling Parliamentary questions, and issues over procedures for appointment to public bodies. As an independent advisory body to the Government, we monitor, report and make recommendations on all issues relating to standards in public life.’

The idea that the committee has been effective in raising ethics and dealing with financial corruption amongst people like Bernard does not stand up to much scrutiny. In 2009, 15 years after the Committee was established, Bernard himself was identified by the Daily Telegraph as having claimed £50,000 of public money to rent a house in Essex from his Sister amongst other issues, and he was ordered to repay £63,250 to you and I, a sum which was reduced to £36,250 when Bernard appealed. This all took place despite, rather than because of this committee. Whatever the efficacy of the Committee Bernard who has been Vice Chairman of the Conservative party cannot have overlooked that his party as part of the coalition introduced a reform of Policing as recently as September 2011 which came into effect six months ago. The Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) were introduced to hold the Police to account for their actions.

As I suggested a few days ago, the recent actions of Boris who is the PCC for the Metropolitan Police and his Policing deputy Stephen Greenhalgh show that they have failed to understand their own responsibility in holding the Met to account and explaining to the residents of London what they have discovered. Greenhalgh has appeared to have gone to ground and Boris has been speaking from the wings whilst he has allowed Parliamentarians to step in and take the limelight (or the blame). Now we have a former Shadow Cabinet Minister and recent Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, wanting to find a Parliamentary answer for Policing six months after their last solution which was introduced following a £100M election process and a great deal of opposition. As taxpayers we are entitled to ask what is going on amongst these very well paid politicians.