HC Deb 31 July 1980 vol 989 cc1718-9
13. Mr. Viggers

asked the Secretary of Slate for the Home Department if he will mount a publicity campaign to counteract unfavourable publicity about the police.

Mr. Whitelaw

No, Sir. The police are alive to the need to explain their activities to the public, and their successes speak for themselves.

Mr. Viggers

Does the Home Secretary agree that the most helpful single step would be if those who made a political career out of attacking the police found some other object to pursue?

Mr. Whitelaw

It is not for me to comment on how anyone pursues his political career.

Mr. George Cunningham

Would it not be a good thing if chief constables accepted the wise advice given by one of their number recently to the effect that they should be more reluctant than they have recently been to make public statements on matters of controversial public policy?

Mr. Whitelaw

Not many years ago there were demands from all sides of the House that chief constables and others in the police service should speak up for that service. Now that they are doing so, people are complaining. I believe that chief constables should make their voices heard on policing matters. It is important. I should like to see them stand up for their forces and what they are doing. To revert to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers), the police are well able to stand up for themselves against sniping attacks from ill-intentioned quarters.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

I do not wish to attack the police or anyone else, but is the Home Secretary aware that almost two years ago someone was murdered, on an occasion when hundreds of policemen were present, and that from that day to this no action has been taken to arrest those responsible? I am referring to Blair Peach. Will the Minister accept that, by now, the police should have taken action to arrest whoever was responsible? When will someone be arrested or other action be taken? When will we be told who is responsible—unless it is the case that Blair Peach hit himself on the head, which I cannot believe?

Mr. Whitelaw

I have nothing to add to what I have said on the subject on many occasions.

Mr. Flannery

Are not chief constables now virtually a law unto themselves, with internal courts similar to the Church courts at the time of Henry II? Will the right hon. Gentleman accept that I have come across two cases in my city of internal police discipline, when it has not been possible to discover what action has been taken? Is he aware that such cases involve policemen who may have perjured themselves in court or committed other civil crimes, and nothing happens to them?

Mr. Whitelaw

If the hon. Gentleman has serious complaints against the police, the proper procedure for making them is through the chief constable in his area.

Mr. Cormack

Will my right hon. Friend investigate, list and publish the number of statements in defence of the police made by members of the Tribune group?

Mr. Whitelaw

Mercifully, it is not for me to speak for the Tribune Group.