Met Police face inquiry over Tower Hamlets election fraud

Lutfur Rahman was found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices by an Election Court in April 2015

The Met faces an investigation by the police watchdog over how it handled allegations of electoral fraud and malpractice in 2014.

Former mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman was forced to step down after an Election Court found him guilty of corrupt and illegal practices in 2015.

London's deputy mayor for policing has asked the HM Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) to "carry out an inspection".

HMIC said it would respond to the request "in due course".

Steve O'Connell, chairman of the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee recently accused the force of "major failings" in how it dealt with the case.

'Command trust'

Mr Rahman, who became Tower Hamlets' first directly elected mayor in 2010 and was re-elected four years later, has faced no criminal prosecution.

In a letter to the watchdog, deputy mayor Sophie Linden said she was "keen to ensure that the investigations can command the trust and confidence of Londoners".

"The public need to have the highest level of confidence that any and all criminal prosecutions have been considered and pursued," she wrote.

Ms Linden's response comes after Mr O'Connell urged her to use her powers to call on HMIC to investigate the force.