Business of the House

Christian Wakeford Excerpts

Wednesday 30th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I am glad to see the hon. Gentleman nodding in approval of the work of Thomas à Becket, who we remember and ask to pray for us. Respect for Parliament is always uppermost in the mind of Her Majesty’s Government. That is why we are having so many statements and so many debates, which is exactly what we should have.

[Christian Wakeford (Bury South) (Con)]

Just over a year ago, I stood on a manifesto commitment of increased funding for the police and more bobbies on the beat. I welcome the work the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary are doing to fulfil that pledge. However, in Greater Manchester, we now have a police force in special measures, following years of poor leadership and a lack of attention from the Mayor. I ask my right hon. Friend for a statement from the Home Secretary on what is being done to address those failings by the Mayor.

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

My hon. Friend is right to raise this deeply troubling issue. It is quite wrong that Greater Manchester police—the country’s second largest police force—has got itself into this position and has had to be put into special measures. The Home Office and Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary and fire and rescue services have stepped up their efforts to work closely with the police force to improve its performance rapidly. The police force is, of course, operationally independent and it is not for a Minister to weigh in on its daily affairs, although I understand that it exhibited serious failings in how it recorded crimes.

It is, I suppose, a case of who guards the guards themselves when we find that a police force is in special measures. We do expect and hope—although this may be the triumph of hope over experience—that the Mayor of Greater Manchester will remember that his primary job as the local police and crime commissioner is to keep his local communities safe. I hope that MPs like my hon. Friend will continue to bang on his door and ensure that he is at least making some effort to do his job.