The High Court has thrown out a legal challenge by Freemasons against the Metropolitan Police's requirement for officers and staff to declare their membership of the organisation. Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled on Tuesday that the policy serves a legitimate aim of maintaining public trust in policing and is proportionate.
Three bodies representing Freemasons in England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, along with two serving police officers who are Freemasons, sought judicial review after the Met added Freemasonry to its declarable associations policy in December. The policy requires staff to disclose past or present membership of any hierarchical organisation with confidential membership that expects members to support each other. About 400 Met employees have already made declarations.
In his 17-page ruling, the judge stated that the grounds for challenge were not 'reasonably arguable'. He said the policy aims to eliminate both actual bias and perceived bias in the exercise of police functions, and is not discriminatory or unduly stigmatising. He added that leaving declarations to individual discretion would not achieve the objective of maintaining public trust.
Met Commander Simon Messinger welcomed the judgment, stating: 'Both victims of crime and those reporting wrongdoing must have trust and confidence there is no risk that investigations are tainted by such issues.' Adrian Marsh, grand secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, expressed disappointment, saying the policy would not improve policing and that Freemasons have an obligation to protect members from discrimination.
At an earlier hearing, Claire Darwin KC for the claimants argued the policy amounted to a 'blacklist' and was based on 'longstanding conspiracy theories and/or prejudicial tropes'. Met barristers countered that staff were free to be Freemasons and the suggestion of a blacklist was 'plainly wrong'.
