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The Metropolitan police commissioner has said he will not resign after secretly filmed footage revealed racist, misogynistic and violent behaviour and views at a police station known for its toxic culture for more than three years.
Sir Mark Rowley said BBC Panorama footage was “vile to watch” and that it showed “incontrovertible evidence” to support fast-track dismissal for the officers involved.
Keir Starmer called on Rowley to demonstrate a “very robust” response to what he described as “shocking” footage.
Rowley said the behaviour and views filmed at Charing Cross police station were “ghastly”. Speaking to LBC radio, he said: “Clearly there is racism, there’s misogyny. There’s relishing in using excess force. Some of the content from last night on its own would be enough to move officers to a fast-track misconduct hearing.”
Later he told BBC Radio London that the Met was “on top” of the problem. He said: “We are doing everything we can to make the Met as strong and noble an organisation as it can be, and dealing with these toxic individuals who undermine us.”
He refused to accept that the BBC’s undercover filming showed that the Met was institutionally racist and misogynist, as a review by Louise Casey found in 2023 after the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by one of its officers.
He said: “The thing that’s going to make a difference is not words. The thing that makes a difference is the action.”
A previous scandal at Charing Cross police station after officers shared racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic messages contributed to the resignation of Rowley’s predecessor Cressida Dick. When Rowley was appointed in July 2022 he promised to clean up the force.
Challenged on how he could claim to be on top of the problem when a toxic culture at the station had again been exposed, Rowley said: “I’m on top of things because of all the people we have removed.” He said almost 1,500 officers had been expelled from the force in the last three years.
He said: “We’re diving deep into the organisation to find these corrupt and toxic networks and cliques. We’re using counter-terrorism tactics and specialist data and an intelligence tool to identify and find them.”
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Rowley added: “I’m not resigning. We’re partway through a determined effort. I’m proud of what our teams have done in terms of taking on these cancers within the organisation.”
He said it was the toxic officers who wanted him to resign. Rowley said: “I’ve heard in the last few days … rumours the commissioner going. Those are the misogynist and racist [officers], frankly, who want me out because it’s them who we are taking on.
“We are doing everything we can to make the Met as strong and noble an organisation as it can be and dealing with these toxic individuals who undermine us.”
Nine serving officers, one former officer and one designated detention officer who is a civilian member of staff are all under investigation for gross misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Allegations include excessive use of force, making discriminatory and misogynistic comments and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behaviour. One constable is facing a criminal investigation for allegedly perverting the course of justice.
The BBC footage shows one officer, PC Phil Neilson, referring while off-duty to an immigrant who had overstayed his visa, saying: “Either put a bullet through his head or deport him. And the ones that shag women, rape women, you do the cock and let them bleed out.”
While drinking at a pub, he also told the undercover reporter Rory Bibb that Algerians and Somalians were “scum” and made reference to there being an invasion of the UK by migrants.
Another officer, PC Martin Borg, bragged about a colleague stamping on a detainee’s leg and laughed about the suspect screaming. He also appeared to say he had offered to fill in a false witness statement about the incident.
