London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

Row as report claims Sadiq Khan wrongly ousted Cressida Dick as Met chief

Row as report claims Sadiq Khan wrongly ousted Cressida Dick as Met chief

Exclusive: London mayor claims ‘bias’ behind Tom Winsor inquiry finding ex-commissioner treated unfairly
An official inquiry will find that the mayor of London wrongly ousted Cressida Dick as commissioner of the Metropolitan police, the Guardian has learned.

The findings come from a special commission conducted by Sir Tom Winsor, the former chief inspector of constabulary, after Dick’s decision to resign in February.

A draft of the government-ordered report finds that Sadiq Khan did not follow due process and that Dick was unfairly treated, branding the mayor’s actions and decision-making as “irrational” and “unreasonable”.

A furious Khan is consulting lawyers, and believes the report to be biased and factually flawed. The report also says the mayor’s treatment of Dick was “oppressive”, and that she was placed under unfair pressure.

In a protest letter to the home secretary, Priti Patel, Khan said Winsor had publicly championed Dick, whose commissionership ended in a series of scandals engulfing the Met.

Khan wrote: “While Sir Tom has inexplicably refused to provide me with a final version of his report to you, his draft findings … were clearly biased, and in many instances outside his terms of reference and unsupported by the evidence.”

The letter accused Winsor of treating the claims of Dick and her allies about her treatment as truth: “It is clear from the draft that was provided and subsequent exchanges that he intends to present as fact accounts from the previous commissioner and her team, while ignoring or downplaying the extensive contradictory evidence provided.”

Winsor is expected to argue that he did a thorough job and was fair and balanced, with his conclusion based on the facts. His report went to the home secretary earlier this week and may be published next week.

A home office spokesperson said: “The decision on the publication of the report will be made in due course.”

Winsor was chosen to conduct the inquiry by Patel after standing down in March as the chief inspector of constabulary after 10 years.

Khan made his decision after losing confidence in Dick’s understanding of the depth of the Met’s problems and her ability to stop the force losing public support during her five years in office.

Two months after Dick left, the Met suffered the humiliation of being placed into special measures for the first time since its foundation in 1829. The decision was made by Winsor’s successor as chief inspector of constabulary.

As well as being mayor of London, Khan is the police and crime commissioner for the capital, and is jointly responsible with the home secretary for policing in London. After a public clash with him, Dick chose to resign rather than attend a meeting with Khan, after he made clear that her plans for reform were inadequate.

In his letter to Patel, Khan said of Winsor: “He appears to have omitted many facts relevant to [Dick’s] departure as commissioner, including any of the abhorrent scandals that happened on her watch – including the photographing [by force members] of the murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman and then sharing these with other serving officers, and the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer.

“Sir Tom Winsor has failed to recognise almost any of the litany of scandals that occurred in the last two years, many of which you and I discussed at the time, which led to my loss of confidence in the commissioner.”

Multiple sources close to Patel, in the months before Dick’s departure, told the Guardian of their grave concern over the Met under Dick. Crucially, neither the Home Office nor Boris Johnson’s Downing Street attempted to publicly save her when she fell out with the mayor.

The procedure for removing a commissioner is set out in legislation, which requires the mayor to set out the reasons for their loss of confidence in writing. Khan did not, arguing that the requirement did not apply because Dick chose to resign rather than attend a meeting with him.

A spokesperson for the mayor said: “The mayor lost confidence in the commissioner after a series of scandals saw trust in the Met police plummet to record lows. We will not provide a running commentary on leaked draft reports.”

The report from Winsor represents a victory for Dick and her allies. Her deputy, Sir Stephen House, had demanded the inquiry, claiming due process had not been followed.

Dick left with a severance package of £166,000, negotiated with City Hall. Her replacement, Sir Mark Rowley, is due to start as commissioner on 12 September.

Winsor declined to comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×