A bit on Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton and troubling China links since he was PM - VIP dinners, promoting Belt & Road, and £12,000 for a selfie. With @GeorgeGreenwood and invaluable research from @chungchingkwong of IPAC. Full story: thetimes.co.uk/article/12k-fo… Lord Cameron repeatedly supported Beijing's infrastructure initiatives in 2018/2019 in both China and the UK, according to reports of his speeches by state media. Were they accurate? We asked, he didn't comment. Was he paid and how much? We asked, he didn't comment

Exclusive - as Sir Mark Rowley is sworn is as new commissioner, his five principles to mend the Metropolitan Police. And his pledge to renew the Peelian principle of policing by consent, which he places at the heart of "the mission" 🧵

thetimes.co.uk/article/new-me… One of the key pillars of Rowley's Met overhaul is "retaking our integrity". He wants improved standards, fast-tracked sackings, a bigger + better anti-corruption unit

Just digesting Tom Winsor's report into ousting of Cressida Dick - concludes she was constructively dismissed by Sadiq Khan, who did not follow due process. Khan is furious + says report biased. Some interesting extracts of a private meeting btw Dick + mayor that I'll post.... Dick claims that Khan told her to sack all the officers in Charing Cross and when she said that would be irrational and unfair, he replied "Do it anyway". He denies this, but doesn't deny threatening to sue her over it

Met officers who were on the WhatsApp group with Wayne Couzens are giving evidence in their defence, about how their jokes about raping colleagues, assaulting the public and making racist comments were not grossly offensive. This will be another thread. Met police officer who joked about using someone with Downs Syndrome for Taser target practice says he didn't know "downy" was offensive term: "Almost every week there’s a new word that’s offensive. How are you supposed to know what’s offensive - and who’s it offensive to?"

I'm at Westminster Mags Court where three Metropolitan police officers are accused of sending grossly offensive messages in which they joked about sexually assaulting domestic violence victims and much more. This will be a thread. Police officer who has not been named: "Mate they aren't gonna ditch you with your skill sets, not unless you finger a DV victim!"

Another day, another damning report into the Metropolitan Police. This time, corruption. Inspectors find Met's approach is "fundamentally flawed + not fit for purpose" - and it has "inexusably" failed to learn lessons from the 1987 axe murder of Daniel Morgan. THREAD Met has an “unprofessional” approach to vetting officers in sensitive posts, which places the public at risk. It doesn't know whether all those in sensitive posts – such as child protection, major crime investigation and informant handling – have been cleared to the proper levels

The Met apologises again. This time its really disturbing behaviour of officers at Charing Cross station where apparently messages about raping colleagues, killing black children + domestic violence were "jokes and banter". One cop known as the "mcrapey raperson". THREAD This is offensive, but the public should know. Here's what a male cop wrote to a female officer at Charing Cross: “I would happily rape you”, “if I was single I would actually hate fuck you” “if I was single I would happily chloroform you”