David Blunkett has defended his decision to seek the suspension of the Humberside police chief.

The home secretary's move followed criticism from the father of one of the murdered Soham schoolgirls, who warned that David Westwood's sacking would be "a travesty".

The row was prompted by a critical report of Humberside police from Sir Michael Bichard.

Government Response: Home Office

David Blunkett, Home Secretary, said:"In the light of the continuing failure of the Humberside Police Authority to comply under the 2002 Police Reform Act with my requirement to suspend their Chief Constable David Westwood, I am therefore this evening lodging papers with the High Court asking them to enforce the law and grant a hearing.

"The steps I have taken over the last two weeks are entirely in line not only with my powers under the Act but also the protocol which has been painstakingly agreed with the Association of Police Authorities, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Staff Association representing Chief Officer grades. All parties agreed that should these sort of very serious circumstances arise, it would be important to follow agreed steps, not engage in ad hoc talks or informal discussions. I am following these rules to the letter and had anticipated that all parties would also comply with them.

"In the light of the fact that the Humberside Police Authority are continuing not to accede to the requirements of the law, I am left with no choice but now to take the necessary legal steps to seek a hearing. I remain of the view that Chief Constable Westwood should not have operational control of the force while Humberside Police Authority and I consider the appropriate way to respond to Sir Michael Bichard's findings. In this regard, I would draw particular attention to Paragraph 2.123 of the Bichard Report which states 'When the problems are of this scale in a function critical to effective policing, the importance of which had been highlighted nationally on several occasions by HMIC, then I do believe that senior management could and should have done more to identify and then deal with them. The nature of that responsibility has been described above. From March 1999, at the latest, that was ultimately the personal responsibility of Chief Constable Westwood.' In paragraph 2.121, Sir Michael Bichard says 'The lack of awareness of the nature or scale of these problems, failings and misunderstandings over such long periods is deeply shocking' and he says 'I must therefore conclude there were very serious failings in the senior management of Humberside Police.'

"I have today received a letter from Humberside Police Authority asking me to reconsider my decision. I have looked carefully at the grounds they put to me. Having done so I have today replied
to the Authority to the effect that I have seen no new information relevant to my decision to require the authority to suspend the Chief Constable. Issues of the broader performance of the force which are raised in the letter are not relevant to this decision to suspend.  However, I have made
two points in my reply; Humberside Police Force is currently ranked 42 out of 43 of the
police forces in England and Wales. I therefore do not consider selectively
quoted data about its performance adds to the public understanding of these
issues. I continue to expect the Authority to produce a detailed response to the criticisms of the force in the Bichard Report, particularly its finding that there were 'systemic and corporate' failures in the way in which Humberside police managed their intelligence system."

Party Response: Liberal Democrat

Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: "Sir Michael Bichard’s report shows there is blame on both sides. 

"This stand-off between the home secretary and the police authority is not in the public interest, and is a disappointing response to the tragic events that led to Holly and Jessica’s deaths.

"What the public want now is for all sides to get on and implement the report’s recommendations, not a long, drawn out battle between personalities.

"Both sides must meet urgently on Monday around a table rather than in a courtroom to resolve this issue."

Party Response: Conservative

David Davis shadow home secretary said: "It is time to stop the politics and the apportioning of blame and get on with giving Humberside the police service it deserves.

"The failings in Humberside identified by the Bichard Inquiry go much wider than just one man or one police force.  The report concluded that the errors and shortcomings were so extensive that it may not have been just Huntley who 'slipped through the net.'

"This was demonstrated clearly in the reports at the weekend the case of a convicted rapist who was cleared by police to work as a teacher.  We need to establish as a matter of urgency whether such failures are replicated in other police forces.  I fear they may well be. 

"We need to know what systems are in place for handling intelligence, whether common standards and procedures are followed, and what action the police are taking nationwide to ensure a failure on the scale of the Huntley case cannot occur again. 

"David Blunkett's increasingly fractious dispute with Humberside over the suspension of one individual risks diverting attention from the real issues of public safety which still exist, and which he should be making his priority.  Let us not forget that 22 out of 31 'Recommendations for Change' outlined by Sir Michael Bichard were directed, either solely or jointly, at the Home Office.  Ministers must take their share of responsibility for the failures over which they presided.

"A public row between the Home Secretary and Humberside Police Authority is no way to resolve this issue.  Beyond the issue of suspension, the Chief Constable's longer term future should be decided by the Authority.  I would like to see any inquiry held in the open with evidence taken in public, so that local people and the citizens of Britain as a whole can be given confidence that lessons have been learnt and necessary action taken.  This should stop being an issue of scapegoats and start being an issue of solutions.

"Furthermore, when this case has been resolved, we must look again at the powers of the Home Secretary to suspend Chief Constables. If this case has demonstrated anything, it is that the present arrangements are unsatisfactory. The powers of central government over our police should always be limited and proportionate. We need to re-establish that balance, which allows police the freedom to carry out their duties independent of central control and arbitrary political interference."

Forum Response: Association of Chief Police Officers

Chris Fox of the Association of Chief Police Officers said:  "I would like to express my regret at this situation. David Westwood has dedicated many years to the police service.