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| MPs brand Gwent police and crime commissioner 'disdainful' over tweet | MPs brand Gwent police and crime commissioner 'disdainful' over tweet |
| (2 months later) | |
| A committee of MPs has launched an extraordinary attack on the police and crime commissioner for Gwent. | A committee of MPs has launched an extraordinary attack on the police and crime commissioner for Gwent. |
| The home affairs select committee accuses Ian Johnston of being disdainful to parliament, oversensitive to criticism and having sidestepped local scrutiny when he sacked his chief constable. | The home affairs select committee accuses Ian Johnston of being disdainful to parliament, oversensitive to criticism and having sidestepped local scrutiny when he sacked his chief constable. |
| They say his taking to Twitter to criticise the MP who questioned him over his decision to sack the Gwent chief constable, Carmel Napier, was clear evidence that checks and balances on police commissioners (PCCs) are too weak. | They say his taking to Twitter to criticise the MP who questioned him over his decision to sack the Gwent chief constable, Carmel Napier, was clear evidence that checks and balances on police commissioners (PCCs) are too weak. |
| The MPs say in a report published on Saturday that while it is right that PCCs should have the power to dismiss a chief constable, the Gwent case has demonstrated that statutory provisions ensuring local crime and police panels are consulted first can be evaded. | The MPs say in a report published on Saturday that while it is right that PCCs should have the power to dismiss a chief constable, the Gwent case has demonstrated that statutory provisions ensuring local crime and police panels are consulted first can be evaded. |
| They add that it seems to be very easy for a PCC to remove a chief constable even when their concerns are about operational policing or are of an insubstantial nature. | They add that it seems to be very easy for a PCC to remove a chief constable even when their concerns are about operational policing or are of an insubstantial nature. |
| The committee launched its inquiry into the power of PCCs to remove chief constables after a number of high-profile clashes since the election of the first PCCs last November that have led to the removal of two chief constables so far. | The committee launched its inquiry into the power of PCCs to remove chief constables after a number of high-profile clashes since the election of the first PCCs last November that have led to the removal of two chief constables so far. |
| In Avon and Somerset the chief constable, Colin Port, declined to reapply for his job after the new PCC indicated she wanted to recruit someone willing to serve for the whole of her period in office. | In Avon and Somerset the chief constable, Colin Port, declined to reapply for his job after the new PCC indicated she wanted to recruit someone willing to serve for the whole of her period in office. |
| In Lincolnshire the chief constable was first suspended by the PCC and then reinstated after a high court ruling. | In Lincolnshire the chief constable was first suspended by the PCC and then reinstated after a high court ruling. |
| In Gwent, Johnston invited Napier to retire, indicating that he was prepared to initiate the statutory process for her removal if she did not do so. | In Gwent, Johnston invited Napier to retire, indicating that he was prepared to initiate the statutory process for her removal if she did not do so. |
| The MPs say Napier was given no prior warning of concerns about her performance when at a meeting on 23 May he read out a prepared statement in which he voiced broad concerns about her management style and the fact she was opposed to the concept of PCCs. | The MPs say Napier was given no prior warning of concerns about her performance when at a meeting on 23 May he read out a prepared statement in which he voiced broad concerns about her management style and the fact she was opposed to the concept of PCCs. |
| "Although the statement says that the commissioner's intention was not to 'humiliate or upset' the chief constable, it is clear that she interpreted this denial as a veiled threat to do precisely that, if she refused to go quietly," concludes the MPs' report, adding that the net result was to sidestep the limited scrutiny process. | "Although the statement says that the commissioner's intention was not to 'humiliate or upset' the chief constable, it is clear that she interpreted this denial as a veiled threat to do precisely that, if she refused to go quietly," concludes the MPs' report, adding that the net result was to sidestep the limited scrutiny process. |
| The report says the statutory process provides little safeguard as no one – the local police and crime panel, the official inspectorate, not even the home secretary herself – can overrule a PCC who is determined to dismiss a chief constable. | The report says the statutory process provides little safeguard as no one – the local police and crime panel, the official inspectorate, not even the home secretary herself – can overrule a PCC who is determined to dismiss a chief constable. |
| The MPs took evidence from both Johnston and Napier in July about what had happened in Gwent. | The MPs took evidence from both Johnston and Napier in July about what had happened in Gwent. |
| The report says: "We were disappointed that, shortly after … he took to Twitter to criticise a member of the committee for asking questions that he believed had been prompted by Gwent MPs, describing the proceedings as 'sad really'." | The report says: "We were disappointed that, shortly after … he took to Twitter to criticise a member of the committee for asking questions that he believed had been prompted by Gwent MPs, describing the proceedings as 'sad really'." |
| It says that he even described one of the MPs who questioned him, Chris Ruane, as a "plant of Gwent MPs". | It says that he even described one of the MPs who questioned him, Chris Ruane, as a "plant of Gwent MPs". |
| "This disdainful attitude towards scrutiny by parliament, as well as an indication of a clear over-sensitivity to criticism, from a politician elected by less than 8% of the electorate, who had managed to sidestep the statutory arrangements for local scrutiny of his decision to sack the chief constable, is further evidence, if any were needed, that the checks and balances on police and crime commissioners are too weak," say the MPs. | "This disdainful attitude towards scrutiny by parliament, as well as an indication of a clear over-sensitivity to criticism, from a politician elected by less than 8% of the electorate, who had managed to sidestep the statutory arrangements for local scrutiny of his decision to sack the chief constable, is further evidence, if any were needed, that the checks and balances on police and crime commissioners are too weak," say the MPs. |
| Keith Vaz, the committee chairman, said: "It is worrying that police and crime commissioners seem able to sidestep the statutory process for dismissing a chief constable. | Keith Vaz, the committee chairman, said: "It is worrying that police and crime commissioners seem able to sidestep the statutory process for dismissing a chief constable. |
| "Police and crime panels should make more active use of their powers to scrutinise decisions such as this. | "Police and crime panels should make more active use of their powers to scrutinise decisions such as this. |
| "We will be returning to this area when we carry out our next major inquiry into police and crime commissioners, towards the end of this year." | "We will be returning to this area when we carry out our next major inquiry into police and crime commissioners, towards the end of this year." |
| Johnston said he welcomed the MPs' scrutiny and had been happy to provide evidence to the committee. He insisted that "at all times" he had acted within the relevant legislation. | Johnston said he welcomed the MPs' scrutiny and had been happy to provide evidence to the committee. He insisted that "at all times" he had acted within the relevant legislation. |
| He said: "I will be moving to appoint a new chief constable at the beginning of September and in the meantime I will work with the temporary chief constable, Jeff Farrar, to ensure the force has the stability and leadership required." | He said: "I will be moving to appoint a new chief constable at the beginning of September and in the meantime I will work with the temporary chief constable, Jeff Farrar, to ensure the force has the stability and leadership required." |
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