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Tables turned: The appointment of a police commissioner in a capital city can be a tricky political matter, whether in Delhi or in London. BBC reports that there was a considerable political dispute over the appointment of the present police commissioner of the London Metropolitan police, Dame Cressida Dick. She was given a two-year extension in September last year reportedly in the face of opposition from Home Secretary Priti Patel, but with the approval of the Prime Minister. Now the fate of both Patel and Johnson is in her hands by way of the investigation into partygate.
Costly words: The star police officer who lost out with the extension given to Dame Cressida was Neil Basu. The officer, obviously with Bengali heritage, has been leading some of the toughest police action against terrorism. Basu’s likely mistake, it turns out, was remarks he had made earlier that were critical of Johnson. He said the PM was not short of advice but “you have to want to take it”. That sealed his career. Whether it may have saved Johnson’s is another matter, that will depend on the political position or lack of it that Dame Cressida takes.
Biding time: Three more Conservative MPs including a former minister have come out in the open to express no confidence in the Prime Minister. That total has to hit 54 to trigger a no-confidence motion. Those who are silent do not necessarily support Johnson over partygate, they are waiting for a strategic time, likely now after completion of the police investigation. Because if Johnson wins the confidence vote in the meantime, no such move can be launched against him for a year. For most Tory MPs, it seems a matter of a strategic when, not an if.
Left high and dry: Hopes rose too early perhaps for the very Punjabi town in West Midlands, Wolverhampton. It had been picked for the shortlist of run-down towns to be given a new cash injection under the government’s new ‘levelling-up’ programme. Britain now even has a minister for levelling up. But a national audit report says that it would be a waste of money to try to save this town with such cash because it would make little difference. The Punjabis of Wolverhampton will have to look after themselves.
Finding refuge for refugees: Britain failed to bring back enough Afghans who had worked for the British. But those who did come back are struggling to find a place to stay. Home Secretary Priti Patel says the government is trying to find accommodation for them outside of hotels, perhaps in a defence ministry building. Parliament has been told that at present 37,000 asylum seekers and refugees are being kept in hotels at a cost of 1.2 million pounds a day. At 32 pounds per person per day, this is not expensive by hotel standards, but it adds up.
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