Alistair Lexden has repeatedly called on the Home Office to bring an end to a long-running scandal, which has enabled Mike Veale, a former police chief accused of gross misconduct, to rake in a large salary as the Chief Executive of a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
He returned to the issue at question time in the Lords on 25 January when he said: “A disgraced policeman, Mike Veale, has featured quite often in Oral Questions in your Lordships’ House. A few years ago he deliberately smeared the reputation of Sir Edward Heath.”
“Asked recently why this notorious man’s gross misconduct hearing, announced in August 2021, has been indefinitely postponed, the PPC for Cleveland said: ‘It is complicated, it is interwoven with other things and there is an order of things that I cannot supersede.’ “
“How“, Alistair Lexden asked, “can this impenetrable goobledegook be reconciled with proper accountability?“
He continued: “When a member of the public asked the same question [about Veale’s misconduct hearing], he was told that a review was taking place. After two attempts to find out about the progress of the review, he was told just yesterday that ‘once information about a hearing is published, we will notify you.’ “
“How can these curt, dismissive comments possibly be acceptable? Why has the Home Office done nothing to make this PCC properly accountable? “
The demand for action was supported on all sides of the House. Amazingly, the Lords Home Office Minister said nothing will be done. He is due to come under attack again on this issue on 6 February.
