Below is the last e-mail I received from Home Affairs Minister Senator Ian Le Marquand, where he has set out to clear up the confusion between the MET Report into Operation Rectangle and the MET “Interim” Report (if it exists).
There is very little doubt that something exists, that has never been the issue, but it’s what that “something” is that is the issue. You will see by the e-mail below that the only person to have set eyes on this “Interim” Report (if it exists) appears to be David Warcup who arguably has the most to gain by the departure of CPO Graham Power.
I will re-produce Senator Le Marquand’s e-mail - and below that I will make a couple of observations and set a question or two.
Before I do that credit has to be given to the Senator. Firstly he does engage, he does reply to e-mails and does tackle the questions put to him. If the rest of our elected “representatives” were as willing to engage with the public as he is, then there would be a smaller divide between them and us. I might not agree with the Senator but respect him for his willingness to engage.
From:Ian Le Marquand
Date: Thu, May 13, 2010 at 5:16 PM
Subject: RE: Met "Interim" Report.
To: voiceforchildren voiceforchildren
Dear voice for children, now that I understand that your questions related to the interim report alone and not to the final report, I shall amend my answers.
I have not read the interim report but I have electronically seen the e-mail to which it was attached as an attachment. I am also aware that there is a quotation from the interim report in another document which was produced the same day or the next day (I cannot recall which).I do not know who, other than Mr. Warcup, has seen the report in its interim form as opposed to in its final form. I have already given an answer in relation to the final form. I have never had any reason to doubt the existence of the interim report and so have never had cause to ask the Met Police specifically about this.
As I mentioned to your representative in the Royal Square two days ago, I am genuinely puzzled as to why anybody would want to allege that the interim report never existed but only a final report. The reason why I am puzzled is that most of the criticism of Mr. Warcup (unfair and inaccurate criticism in my view) is based upon his having requested that some form of report be produced at an early date.
In relation to the reason why i have declined to be interviewed, your representative will know that at the same time I declined to be interviewed by Channel TV. I do not want to be interviewed at this time in relation to any matters which may impinge upon the disciplinary matters concerning Mr. Power. There are good reasons for this at this time which I cannot go into. I am afraid that your readers and participants are going to have to be patient for 2 to 3 months longer until I arrive at the point at which I can properly put mopre detailed information into the public domain.
I am happy that you re-produce my e-mails but would ask that you re-produce both e-mails in relation to your recent questions. Best wishes, Ian Le Marquand.
So the Senator has seen the e-mail the interim report (if it exists) was attached to but not the report? What the crucial question must be is were the words “MET Interim Report” written anywhere on that e-mail, when was the Report compiled, when and why was it asked for and were there any other “Interim” Reports submitted before early November??
You will note that the Senator tells us “I have never had any reason to doubt the existence of the interim report and so have never had cause to ask the Met Police specifically about this.” and he goes on to say “I am genuinely puzzled as to why anybody would want to allege that the interim report never existed but only a final report. The reason why I am puzzled is that most of the criticism of Mr. Warcup (unfair and inaccurate criticism in my view) is based upon his having requested that some form of report be produced at an early date.”
To that I would reply there is a school of thought that says David Warcup requested something and that is something that would assist the efforts of getting rid of CPO Graham Power. Some of us believe, rather than an “interim report”, it might be better described as “a favour from a mate”?
Also where the Senator says this “I have never had any reason to doubt the existence of the interim report and so have never had cause to ask the Met Police specifically about this.” Well like I have said there are those of us that do doubt the existence of an “official MET Interim Report.” Among those doubters are Deputy Bob Hill- who under the Freedom Of Information Act- asked Scotland Yard for confirmation of its existence. SCOTLAND YARD WOULD NEITHER CONFIRM, NOR DENY, ITS EXISTENCE.
That might not give Senator Le Marquand any reason to doubt that it exists, because perhaps on the e-mail that he has seen he did read the words “MET Interim Report” and he could confirm this for us?