Lord Brittan case handling to be reviewed by another force, Met says

Another police force has been asked to review Metropolitan Police handling of abuse allegations against Lord Brittan.

This is "to ensure it was thorough, properly conducted and to identify good practice", Scotland Yard said.

But the force also defended its handling of the case, which included an allegation of rape made against the former Cabinet minister.

Lord Brittan died unaware that police had dropped the rape inquiry against him, which was reopened last year.

The Metropolitan Police Service [MPS] has published the key findings from a report ordered after the force apologised to Lady Brittan earlier this month, for not informing her husband of their findings before his death.

The Crown Prosecution Service found in July 2013 that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution over the claim that Lord Brittan had raped a 19-year-old female student in 1967.

Officers interviewed Lord Brittan, who was suffering from terminal cancer, in May 2014, but no charges were brought.

Labour MP Tom Watson had also written a letter to Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders in April 2014, calling for a full review of all abuse allegations made against the peer.

But this was only passed to police on 2 June, says the Met, after the former home secretary was questioned.

'Public interest'

Lord Brittan, whose career included two years as home secretary in Margaret Thatcher's government, died in January aged 75.

Investigating officers told the complainant in April that there would not have been a prosecution for rape had Lord Brittan still been alive - a move which a Met spokesman says was "premature", as the CPS did not confirm it would not pursue the case until June.

However, Lord Brittan's legal team were not told at the same time at the complainant was.

In its statement, Scotland Yard said it had delayed telling the peer because the CPS had been asked to carry out a final review of the case.

Tom Watson has been called to appear before the Home Affairs Committee

The Met said it "accepts that Lord Brittan's solicitors should have been informed at the same time as the complainant was informed".

"This would have permitted them to clarify the position with Lady Brittan, for which the MPS apologised in a letter to her solicitors on 6 October 2015."

Relatives of people who die while under investigation would not normally be contacted after their death and would not be told what the outcome would have been, or whether charges would have been brought, it said.

But it added: "The MPS recognises - as it did throughout the dialogue with the CPS - that the public interest in the case required a different approach."

Committee appearance

The report also highlights concerns about current legislation which allows suspects to be publicly named before charge, whilst those bringing allegations remain anonymous.

It "creates an imbalance which should be addressed," the report said. "The Commissioner has already stated that he believes there should be a ban on identifying suspects before charge to remedy this imbalance."

Meanwhile, UKIP leader Nigel Farage told LBC radio that the Met had "failed horribly" over the handling of the investigation and that Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe should consider "going into retirement".

And the Home Affairs Committee has "invited" both Mr Watson and Sir Bernard to appear before it on Wednesday, to give evidence on the investigation into Lord Brittan.