Police operations not immune to politics says Lord Prescott

The former Hull MP, who announced last week he intends to stand for the role in the Humber, said his time as deputy Prime Minister proved why the new elected officials should be able to step in, citing the time he stopped officers evacuating an entire street when the Metropolitan Police raided a house containing suspected terrorists in east London, in 2006.

Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), has warned some Chief Constables would resign if they came under direct political control.

But Lord Prescott said he had “a big argument” with claims that politicians should not be involved in operational decisions.

He said: “The police always argue that many things they do are a matter of operations and politicians should not be involved. Well, I’m afraid I have a big argument with that.”

Describing the 2006 raid on a street in Forest Gate, he said: “John Reid was the Home Secretary and I was working with him. Andy Hayman, who was in charge, wanted to turn them out and I said to John Reid – ‘no, you can’t do that’.

“He said ‘John, it’s operational’. I said ‘Sod operational, there are political considerations here’ – turning out a street of Asians at 2am with the allegations of a gas plot and we don’t know what the evidence is for that.

“I am not against the police running the organisation, but there are times someone should just say ‘Hang on – I don’t think that’s right. Convince me about it’.”

Lord Prescott also dismissed criticism he should not stand for election as he had opposed the imposition of commissioners on police forces, which will earn him a salary of £70,000 a year.

Directly elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are replacing police authorities in England and Wales. They will have the power to hire and fire chief constables, set the police force’s budget and “strategic direction”.

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