Cameron criticised on Maddy police move

Published on Friday 13 May 2011 16:12

DAVID Cameron faced criticism last night for the decision to involve Scotland Yard in a review of the Madeleine McCann case.

Metropolitan Police Authority member Lord Harris said the intervention undermined the independence of the force and the investigation would use up valuable resources.

Writing on his blog, he said: "Whilst no-one doubts the desirability of doing what can sensibly be done to find out what has happened to Madeleine McCann, I can imagine that the senior leadership of the Metropolitan Police are not exactly happy about this.

"It again embroils their officers in a high-profile investigation, where the chances of success are unclear, and which will divert limited investigative resources away from other matters."

Lord Harris added: "His intervention drives a coach and horses through the draft protocol issued by the Home Office designed to preserve the operational independence of the police which says: 'The operational independence of the police service, and the decisions made by its operational leadership remain reserved to the office of Chief Constable and that office alone'."

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "There has been a huge amount of public interest in this case since it began. Madeleine McCann has been missing for a long time. There is the international dimension."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The commissioner received a request, which he considered, and took the decision that it was the right thing to do."