Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, has said he will not resign after an undercover BBC Panorama investigation revealed racist, misogynistic and violent behaviour at Charing Cross police station. The footage, which Rowley described as “vile to watch”, shows officers making discriminatory remarks and bragging about using excessive force.
Speaking to LBC radio, Rowley acknowledged the behaviour was “ghastly” and said it provided “incontrovertible evidence” to support fast-track dismissal for the officers involved. He later told BBC Radio London that the Met was “on top” of the problem, pointing to nearly 1,500 officers expelled in the last three years and the use of counter-terrorism tactics to identify “toxic networks and cliques”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for a “very robust” response to the footage. However, Rowley rejected claims that the Met is institutionally racist or misogynist, arguing that “the thing that makes a difference is the action”. He added: “I’m not resigning. We’re partway through a determined effort.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating nine serving officers, one former officer and one civilian detention officer for gross misconduct. Allegations include excessive force, discriminatory comments and perverting the course of justice. One officer, PC Phil Neilson, was filmed saying an immigrant should be shot or deported, while PC Martin Borg boasted about a colleague stamping on a detainee’s leg.
Rowley suggested that the toxic officers themselves want him to resign, saying: “Those are the misogynist and racist [officers] who want me out because it’s them who we are taking on.” He previously promised to clean up the force after a similar scandal at Charing Cross contributed to the resignation of his predecessor, Cressida Dick.
