Vauxhall Lib Dem campaigner stops the cost of the Jean Charles de Menezes inquest falling on local taxpayers
January 25, 2009 12:30 PM
Jean Charles de Menezes was shot by police at Stockwell station
Vauxhall Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Campaigner Caroline Pidgeon AM has persuaded the Mayor of London to support the campaign to ensure that the massive costs of the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes are shared more fairly. At present the bill of over £4 million is falling on the council taxpayers of the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.
Questioned by Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor accepted that the costs of the inquest were exceptional and that it was unfair that the costs of the inquest are being paid by just four London Boroughs.
Commenting on the Mayor's reply, Caroline said:
"It is widely recognised that the death of Jean Charles de Menezes was an event not merely of national, but international significance. The location of his death was quite frankly an incidental detail to the key fact that an unarmed individual had been shot dead by Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism officers in a case of mistaken identity.
"It is plainly unfair that the council taxpayers of just four South London boroughs are having to pay such a massive bill when the circumstances of this inquest were truly exceptional. The cost of the inquest must be shared much more fairly and it is time that the Ministry of Justice recognised that fact.
The jury delivered clear judgments on what happened that day. Now that the inquest is over, we need to make sure that the Metropolitan Police learn the lessons that came out in the inquest to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again. Areas that local Liberal Democrats believe need addressing are:
- Ensuring the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is genuinely independent;
- Stopping police officers from conferring when writing up their notes after an incident;
- Ensuring the radio system works properly across the underground and overground network.
"Londoners need to hear how the police respond to this so that confidence in the police is fully restored" added Caroline Pidgeon AM.
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats