Met wins legal challenge over Freemasons declaration

The Met has won a legal challenge to require officers and staff to declare if they are Freemasons or members of a similar organisation.

The High Court has refused to allow a judicial review, brought by the United Grand Lodge of England and others, of the Met’s decision.

Commander Simon Messinger, Professionalism, said:

“We had been prepared to robustly defend our decision through the courts, so today’s judgment is welcome.

“Our declarable associations policy was changed after feedback highlighted concerns that involvement in these types of organisations could compromise impartiality or create conflicts of loyalty.

“Both victims of crime and those reporting wrongdoing must have trust and confidence there is no risk that investigations are tainted by such issues.

“We have prioritised this over any organisation’s desire to maintain secrecy.”

The Met updated its declarable associations policy in December to require officers and staff to declare any association - past or present - of organisations that have confidential membership, hierarchical structures and require members to support and protect each other. The Freemasons is named as such an organisation. The policy change does not mean any member of staff cannot join the Freemasons or another similar organisation.

The move followed a consultation of officers and staff which showed 66 per cent of those who responded felt membership of such organisations affects perception of police impartiality and that Freemasonry should be included in the Met’s declarable association policy. A total of 64 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that membership of such organisations affects public trust.

There had been calls going back a number of years for the role of Freemasonry in policing to be properly addressed, including as a recommendation by the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel.

We continued to receive intelligence reports and general expressions of concern from officers and staff worried about the impact, whether real or perceived, membership of such an organisation could be having on investigations, promotions and misconduct. The number of such reports was relatively low, but needed to be taken seriously. 

We strongly believed that failing to act would further damage trust not only among the public but also other officers and staff.

The court heard that 397 Met officers and staff have so far declared membership of such organisations, the majority of them Freemasons.

Mr Justice Chamberlain turned down permission for a judicial review on all grounds, stating none were reasonably arguable, including claims the disclosure requirement gave rise to discrimination and breaches of the Human Rights Act.