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| Met police defend decision not to pursue leaks | Met police defend decision not to pursue leaks |
| (8 days later) | |
| Scotland Yard on Monday defended a decision it made not to take action over intelligence it received alleging leaks of internal secrets from its "inner sanctum", potentially to the News of the World (NoW). | Scotland Yard on Monday defended a decision it made not to take action over intelligence it received alleging leaks of internal secrets from its "inner sanctum", potentially to the News of the World (NoW). |
| The intelligence is contained in a Met document generated in April 2006 at a time when the then commissioner, Sir Ian Blair (now Lord Blair), faced internal ructions and a hostile press. | The intelligence is contained in a Met document generated in April 2006 at a time when the then commissioner, Sir Ian Blair (now Lord Blair), faced internal ructions and a hostile press. |
| The secret memo is at the centre of new claims that the Met used a legal gag to stop the Leveson inquiry exploring the issues that it raised. | The secret memo is at the centre of new claims that the Met used a legal gag to stop the Leveson inquiry exploring the issues that it raised. |
| The document's heading refers to a man who in 2006 was a suspect in a murder the Met were investigating, and says the person "is aware a member of the commissioner's [Blair's] inner sanctum is reporting back to" and then names a former senior Met officer as the recipient of the information. | The document's heading refers to a man who in 2006 was a suspect in a murder the Met were investigating, and says the person "is aware a member of the commissioner's [Blair's] inner sanctum is reporting back to" and then names a former senior Met officer as the recipient of the information. |
| The memo continues that the leaks related "to actions taken by the commissioner and proposed policy decisions". It adds the murder suspect "has had this confirmed". It then mentions a News of the World executive. For legal reasons the names of the murder suspect, the former senior Metropolitan police officer and the NoW executive cannot be published. | The memo continues that the leaks related "to actions taken by the commissioner and proposed policy decisions". It adds the murder suspect "has had this confirmed". It then mentions a News of the World executive. For legal reasons the names of the murder suspect, the former senior Metropolitan police officer and the NoW executive cannot be published. |
| Earlier, it emerged that the lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry, Robert Jay QC, said Scotland Yard had claimed "public interest immunity" in relation to the internal intelligence report. Asked why he did not question senior former Met officers who gave evidence to the inquiry, which included former commissioners Lord Stevens, Blair and Sir Paul Stephenson, about this matter, Jay said the inquiry was not shown the police report until 23 April, after the three had given evidence. | Earlier, it emerged that the lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry, Robert Jay QC, said Scotland Yard had claimed "public interest immunity" in relation to the internal intelligence report. Asked why he did not question senior former Met officers who gave evidence to the inquiry, which included former commissioners Lord Stevens, Blair and Sir Paul Stephenson, about this matter, Jay said the inquiry was not shown the police report until 23 April, after the three had given evidence. |
| In a statement, Jay said: "The Metropolitan Police Service [MPS] is claiming public interest immunity in relation to any police intelligence report, the contents of which are neither confirmed nor denied." | In a statement, Jay said: "The Metropolitan Police Service [MPS] is claiming public interest immunity in relation to any police intelligence report, the contents of which are neither confirmed nor denied." |
| He added that the inquiry had continuing "obligations of confidence" to the police in relation to their submissions. "These factors have at all stages limited what I am able to place in the public domain, and continue to do so," he said. | He added that the inquiry had continuing "obligations of confidence" to the police in relation to their submissions. "These factors have at all stages limited what I am able to place in the public domain, and continue to do so," he said. |
| The "inner sanctum" referred to in the intelligence report is almost certainly the Met's management board, which meets every weekday morning at Scotland Yard and where the force's leaders discuss its biggest issues. In a statement, the Met said of the document: "It did not identify an individual as the source of information allegedly being disclosed from the MPS management board and it was not considered that it warranted further action. | The "inner sanctum" referred to in the intelligence report is almost certainly the Met's management board, which meets every weekday morning at Scotland Yard and where the force's leaders discuss its biggest issues. In a statement, the Met said of the document: "It did not identify an individual as the source of information allegedly being disclosed from the MPS management board and it was not considered that it warranted further action. |
| "Intelligence reports may contain sensitive information and this document was therefore shared with the [Leveson] inquiry on a confidential basis." | "Intelligence reports may contain sensitive information and this document was therefore shared with the [Leveson] inquiry on a confidential basis." |
| The force declined to deny using public interest immunity at Leveson, and said: "Throughout the inquiry, the MPS were scrupulous in disclosing to the inquiry everything that could be relevant to the inquiry's deliberations. This included documents which could attract a claim for public interest immunity. We do not confirm or deny if public interest immunity has been sought in relation to any material provided to the inquiry." | The force declined to deny using public interest immunity at Leveson, and said: "Throughout the inquiry, the MPS were scrupulous in disclosing to the inquiry everything that could be relevant to the inquiry's deliberations. This included documents which could attract a claim for public interest immunity. We do not confirm or deny if public interest immunity has been sought in relation to any material provided to the inquiry." |
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