Clegg calls for police leaders scheme to be piloted

The Deputy Prime Minister insisted the coalition Government would still introduce the controversial commissioners, who would have powers to hire and fire chief constables, but paved the way for the process to be slowed down.

Liberal Democrat peers in the House of Lords have tabled a proposal for pilot schemes to see how the idea works in practice before the system is rolled out to every force. The Government is planning for elections next May, but piloting it first could push a roll-out back by three years.

Mr Clegg, MP for Sheffield Hallam, told the BBC: “I have got a lot of sympathy with people who say that when you make big changes – whether in the health system, the police system or education – it is always best to work with the evidence, to work with the grain of the evidence.

“If you can pilot something in an initial period, I think most people would find that an entirely rational way of going about things.”

He added: “The Government policy is to implement this policy. How you get from A to B, whether you pilot it along the way, is something which is a perfectly legitimate area for debate.”

Quizzed on the issue in the Commons, David Cameron said: “I think we’ve seen a very successful model in London with the Mayor the last government put in places having a system where the police feel more accountable to an elected official. I look forward to extending that across the country.”

But Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “It is welcome that Nick Clegg has realised the dangers of rushing ahead.

“This Conservative-driven policy puts considerable power in the hands of one politician with no proper checks and balances on their actions. It is a massive change to British policing which risks its impartiality and goes against important British liberal principles and traditions.”