As an ex-Met chief, I say: It’s not right to ban things just because you don’t like them

A bit of tension between politicians and police is to be expected, says former commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson. But I’ve never seen anything like the way my successor’s been treated by the home secretary – or the PM

Police Officers clash with rival supporters during a pro-Palestinian march (PA)

The “operational independence” enjoyed by the police does not come unfettered. Following interventions this week by the home secretary and the prime minister into the policing of marches in central London, I have heard one or two rather pompous references to it.

But it is right for serving police to be held to account by the Home Office – because that is its job.

On occasion – and in my own experience as the Met commissioner – the Home Office, and politicians in general, were not only capable of trying to exert influence, but of trying to exert undue influence. It should be incumbent on senior police officers to understand where the line is. It’s not an absolute, but we shouldn’t be overly pompous about it.