Met undercover denial chief to answer to MPs

The Met said the officers were covertly deployed to identify potential criminals

A senior Metropolitan Police commander will be asked to account for the false information he gave MPs over the 2009 G20 protests in London.

Commander Bob Broadhurst told the Home Affairs Select Committee a month after the protest that no plain clothes officers were deployed in the crowd.

Scotland Yard has admitted giving MPs inaccurate information by denying "covert officers" were deployed.

The officer has been asked to go back before the committee on 25 January.

Giving evidence at the select committee in 2009, Commander Bob Broadhurst told MPs then: "There were no plain clothes officers deployed at all."

But the Metropolitan Police (Met) has now said officers were covertly deployed to identify individuals who may be involved in criminal activity.

The force's acting commissioner, Tim Godwin - standing in for Sir Paul Stephenson while he recovers from an operation - met committee chairman Keith Vaz on Wednesday to apologise for the false evidence.

Mr Vaz later sent him a letter, asking for Mr Broadhurst to come back before the committee on 25 January.

"We look forward to receiving Commander Broadhurst's explanation on Tuesday," said Mr Vaz.

The G20 protests were timed to coincide with the world leaders' summit in London in April 2009.