Writing for the OnLondon website, Caroline Pidgeon has set out her concerns at the Metropolitan Police's reponse to the powerful and damning report of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel, with its findings of institutional corruption.
Caroline writes:
In addition to questioning some members of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel, Caroline also questioned the Met Commissioner on the serious implications of the case.
There are still many more questions to be asked around the handling of this case, and on wider issues of corruption.
Caroline Pidgeon discussed the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report with the Panel's chair, Baroness O'Loan, to understand the difficulties the Panel faced in securing the Metropolitan Police's cooperation, and getting access to the documents they needed.
Caroline said:
At Mayor's Question Time, Caroline Pidgeon raised her concerns over the numerous recent reports of serious misconduct in the Met Police. Caroline called for a review of recruitment practices, as well as clear rules requiring the declaration of membership of organisations, including the Freemasons.
In the London Assembly, Caroline Pidgeon asked the Deputy Commissioner of the Met why there has still not been a clear apology for the corruption involved in the Daniel Morgan case.
Caroline said:
I still believe we need to see a more reflective attitude from the Met and a willingness to learn the lessons from this damning report.
Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon has uncovered the disappointing fact that nearly 250,000 crimes reported to the Metropolitan Police last year were abandoned within 24 hours, without being investigated at all.
Caroline has written to Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick to ask for an explanation for the stark difference between the figures for 2020 compared to 2019.
Caroline said:
Caroline Pidgeon has written to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, asking when she will publish the police estate plan, including important information on the future of vital police stations and front counters across London.
Police front counters have been massively reduced under this Mayor and the previous Mayor. Londoners need certainty on their remaining stations and front counters, especially given a continued fall in confidence in the police in London.
There must be no further delays in publishing this information.
On 17th March, Caroline Pidgeon questioned the Met’s Deputy Commissioner on why more efforts weren’t made to work with organisers to facilitate a safe vigil for Sarah Everard – as Caroline and Luisa Porritt and had pushed for – and how the Met will be working to earn back the trust of women in London.
Writing for Liberal Democrat Voice following the tragic murder of Sarah Everard, Caroline Pidgeon discusses what needs to be done to approach the epidemic of violence against women.
"What has come from Sarah’s tragic murder is a bubbling over of anger and resentment from women to a society that perpetuates violence against them and a desire to take hold of the discourse on this issue from men so we can see real change.
"Women will not be silenced."
The dramatic rise in the theft of car catalytic converters has been revealed by detailed figures obtained by Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon.
Despite many crimes falling during lockdown, the theft of car catalytic converters has soared across London between 2019 and 2020, with increases in 27 of the 32 London boroughs covered by the Metropolitan Police. The borough with the highest number of thefts was Barnet, seeing 1114 thefts in 2020 – more than three thefts a day.
