Bob Ainsworth is a Disgrace - Episode 45

If the Tories move to place the police under local control there will be resignations,

says top copper

Sir Hughly important Orde:

"We must be operationally independent in terms of how we deliver policing. We should not be influenced by anyone who has any potential or suggestion for a political basis."

News reaches TB though that on December 5th the Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth will be focusing entirely on the war in Afghanistan from the warmth and comfort of several Coventry pubs and bars along with Superintendent Deborah Harrod from West Midlands Police. Debs recently missed out on the top job in the West Midlands force and is also understood to be eying up a promotion in one of the London forces. Being seen with a cabinet minister must have its perks...

The visit has caused a furore for a number of reasons:

• Bob Ainsworth says he's totally focused on Afghanistan and yet can find time to trawl bars in search of insurgent binge drinkers... They must get a lot of those in Afghanistan for it to be worth of the Defence Secretary's attention,

• The visit is not in Bob's constituency - the neighbouring Coventry South constituency is thirsty Jim Cunningham's. Perhaps the police were worried Jim might become part of the problem after a few.

• The visit features exclusively Labour politicians who do not represent the area in a city that is Conservative-controlled and in a ward that is all-Conservative. It's been seen as a politically provocative move from the police.

Is this the freedom from political influence and bias Hugh Orde means?


Thanks to Coventry's biggest political blogger

Mike Rouse

for this one.