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Sir Hugh Orde denies Theresa May riot claim Riots: Police chiefs angered by Cameron criticism
(about 2 hours later)
  
Police, rather than MPs, devised the "more robust" approach that restored calm after four nights of rioting in England, a senior officer says. A row has erupted between police chiefs and the government after David Cameron criticised the number of officers deployed to combat this week's riots.
Association of Chief Police Officers president Sir Hugh Orde said these tactics were employed because more police officers were made available. The PM also said the wrong tactics were used - while Home Secretary Theresa May said it was her decision to cancel all police leave to boost numbers.
Home Secretary Theresa May had said she ordered every UK police chief to cancel all staff leave to deal with the riots. Sir Hugh Orde, head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said she had "no power whatsoever" to do that.
But Sir Hugh said she had "no power whatsoever" to make such an order. It was police, not MPs, who had restored order, he insisted.
Meanwhile, 68-year-old Richard Mannington Bowes, who was critically injured in an attack as he tried to stamp out a fire during riots in Ealing, has died.Meanwhile, 68-year-old Richard Mannington Bowes, who was critically injured in an attack as he tried to stamp out a fire during riots in Ealing, has died.
Police have launched a murder inquiry and issued a CCTV image of a suspect. Police have launched a murder inquiry and a 22-year-old man has been arrested.
'Political interference' Politicians "irrelevant"
During an emergency parliamentary debate on Thursday, Mr Cameron told MPs police chiefs had been "frank" with him about what went wrong on Sunday and Monday nights in London and elsewhere.
"There were simply far too few police deployed on to our streets and the tactics they were using weren't working," said the prime minister.
"Initially, the police treated the situation too much as a public order issue - rather than essentially one of crime."
Mr Cameron returned from holiday on Monday night - a few hours after his home secretary - and called an urgent meeting of emergencies committee Cobra, which included Sir Hugh.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the prime minister had been "very much in charge" of that meeting.
But Sir Hugh said the subsequent restoration of calm on Tuesday night was not down to political intervention.
"The fact that politicians chose to come back [from holiday] is an irrelevance in terms of the tactics that were by then developing," he told BBC Two's Newsnight.
"The more robust policing tactics you saw were not a function of political interference; they were a function of the numbers being available to allow the chief constables to change their tactics."
Police Federation vice chairman Simon Reed said the suggestion that police changed their approach after the government stepped in was "a cheap shot" - and Sir Hugh was "clearly upset".
"It's a slight on the professionalism of the police service and the rank and file because some of the language, some of the tone used, was that they were too timid - almost that they weren't brave enough.
"Rank and file officers will be very upset about those comments because these were unprecedented levels of violence that we saw."
Ian Hanson, chairman of the Greater Manchester Police Federation, also said it was "disingenuous of politicians to say that they sorted the problems out".
Mr Reed said that the issue of planned cuts to the police force - which Labour have said should be abandoned - now needed to be urgently addressed.
"If this had happened maybe in a year's time, when we'd have 10 or 12,000 fewer officers, we wouldn't have been able to mobilise police officers around the country because there simply wouldn't be any resilience left."
But during Thursday's debate, the prime minister insisted the cuts were "totally achievable" without any reduction in the visible policing presence and said that a "surge" of officers - as seen in recent days - would still be possible in future.
On Monday night about 6,000 police officers were on duty on the streets of London, including officers from neighbouring forces.
That number was increased to 16,000 on Tuesday after mob violence and looting erupted across the capital, with reinforcements from other forces around the country. hey will remain in place over the weekend.
Lose benefits
Police say four other deaths - a man found shot in a car in Croydon and three men hit by a car in Birmingham - may be linked to the recent disorder.Police say four other deaths - a man found shot in a car in Croydon and three men hit by a car in Birmingham - may be linked to the recent disorder.
In other developments:In other developments:
The Met Police has made 1051 arrests since the rioting began on Saturday, and 591 people have been charged. The Metropolitan Police has made 1051 arrests since the rioting began on Saturday, and 591 people have been charged.
West Midlands Police have arrested 445 people and 178 have so far been arrested in Manchester and Salford.West Midlands Police have arrested 445 people and 178 have so far been arrested in Manchester and Salford.
"The police faced an unprecedented situation, unique circumstances," said Sir Hugh, who represents chief police officers in England and Wales.
"The fact that politicians chose to come back [from holiday] is an irrelevance in terms of the tactics that were by then developing," he told BBC Two's Newsnight.
"The more robust policing tactics you saw were not a function of political interference; they were a function of the numbers being available to allow the chief constables to change their tactics."
Police Federation vice chairman Simon Reed said the suggestion that police changed their approach after the government stepped in was "a cheap shot".
"To say it publicly is denigrating not just chief officers, it's denigrating the brave officers that were working those nights. They are basically saying they were not brave enough to do their jobs. So I know today that police officers up and down the country will be very slighted by what this government has now said."
When asked if budget cuts would reduce public safety, Sir Orde said it would "inevitably" lead to fewer police officers, which would therefore make the task more difficult.
"We need to have some very honest conversations with government about what we stop doing if we are to maintain frontline service delivery at current levels," he said.
"It's the 20% cuts in the present spending period that will lead to less police officers, we should be very clear about that."
Police 'surge'
Several Labour MPs have called for the government to reverse planned police cuts.
But during an emergency parliamentary debate on the riots on Thursday, Mr Cameron insisted the cuts were "totally achievable" without any reduction in the visible policing presence and said that a "surge" of officers - as seen in recent days - would still be possible in future.
Mr Cameron also told MPs that it had become clear there had been problems in the initial police response to the disorder.
"There were simply far too few police deployed on to our streets and the tactics they were using weren't working," said the prime minister.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Kavanagh has also said the Met did not have enough officers on duty on Monday, and those that were had been stretched as riots, fires and looting broke out across the capital.
On Monday night about 6,000 police officers were on duty, including officers from neighbouring forces.
That number has since been increased to 16,000, with reinforcements from other forces around the country, and they will remain in place over the weekend.
Sir Hugh has been seen as a leading contender to become the next Metropolitan police commissioner.Sir Hugh has been seen as a leading contender to become the next Metropolitan police commissioner.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said his comments would raise doubts as to whether he could work alongside the home secretary in that role, should he apply for it.BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said his comments would raise doubts as to whether he could work alongside the home secretary in that role, should he apply for it.
The riots first flared on Saturday after a peaceful protest in Tottenham over the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan, 29, by police.The riots first flared on Saturday after a peaceful protest in Tottenham over the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan, 29, by police.
Mr Duggan's death is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.Mr Duggan's death is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.