Mayor of London summonsed to answer questions on Cressida Dick’s resignation

By Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter

Sadiq Khan will be formally summonsed to appear in front of the London Assembly to answer questions about his role in Cressida Dick’s resignation as Metropolitan Police Commissioner earlier this year.

The Mayor of London is required to attend the session by law and could face a fine or three months in prison if he fails to attend.

It comes following the approval of a motion proposed by the GLA Conservatives at a meeting of the London Assembly police and crime committee on Thursday which called for a special meeting on November 16 to scrutinise Sadiq Khan over Cressida Dick’s resignation.

Mr Khan will be the first sitting mayor to be summonsed in this way through a unique power granted to the police and crime committee under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

Also invited to attend the meeting is Sir Tom Winsor, who published a report earlier this month which concluded that Cressida Dick felt “intimidated” into resigning as Met Commissioner following “political pressure” from Sadiq Khan.

Mr Khan accused the report of being “biased” and said it “ignores the facts”, adding that he had “lost trust” in the former Commissioner following a “litany of terrible scandals”.

GLA Conservative leader Susan Hall, who proposed the motion on Thursday, said: “The Sir Tom Winsor review has raised important questions about the circumstances under which the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner stood down.

“The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee has statutory powers to summons the mayor, which we have used for the first time today.”

The motion was agreed by a vote of five to four, with the four Labour members of the police and crime committee voting against it.

Labour’s Unmesh Desai said: “Summonsing the mayor is a power that this committee should use wisely, rightly and properly. I think it’s important we follow proper procedures and processes, and I would the make the same point if the mayor was of a different political colour.”

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The mayor’s focus is on working with the new reforming Commissioner to build a safer London for everyone, rebuild trust and confidence in the police and support Sir Mark to drive through the urgent reforms and step change in culture and performance Londoners deserve.

“Londoners elected the Mayor to hold the Met Commissioner to account and that’s exactly what he has done. The Mayor makes no apology for demanding better for London and putting its interests first.”

Pictured top: Sadiq Khan (Picture: PA)