Forcing police officers to declare freemason membership ‘unnecessary and wrong’

Forcing police officers to declare whether they are part of the Freemasons would be “unnecessary and wrong”, a staff association has said.

Britain’s biggest police force, the Metropolitan Police, has launched a consultation on whether to add the group to its declarable associations policy, meaning officers would have to tell bosses if they are a member.

On Monday, Metropolitan Police Federation general secretary Matt Cane said the move may violate officers’ human rights.

“Be in no doubt, the Federation will oppose this proposal and challenge any punitive process designed to enforce it,” he said.

“Adding this requirement to the existing declarable associations policy is unnecessary and wrong.

“Such a measure risks breaching our members’ rights under Articles 8 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

“The Metropolitan Police has debated the issue of Freemasonry for decades, and it is curious as to why, now, it seeks to impose yet another unenforceable policy that infringes on officers’ rights.

“Where does it end?

“Will membership of golf clubs, religious organisations, or even the Women’s Institute be next?”

Article 8 refers to the right to a private and family life, and article 11 to freedom of assembly and association.

Freemasons take an oath of loyalty to the fraternity’s principles and to supporting fellow members.

The Met does not currently collect information about how many officers are masons and has never banned them from joining.

But Scotland Yard said concerns have been raised by officers and staff about the impact that membership of such a group could be having on “investigations, promotions and misconduct”.

Existing examples of declarable associations set out in the policy include people with criminal convictions, those dismissed from policing, and lawful professions like private investigation or journalism.

Officers and staff already have to declare any association with an individual or group that might compromise their integrity or damage the reputation of the force.

The move was recommended by the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report, a probe into the force’s handling of the unsolved 1987 murder of private detective Daniel Morgan.

The 37-year-old father-of-two was killed with an axe in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, on March 10 1987.

A string of inquiries over the decades unearthed allegations of corruption.

The 2021 report said police officers’ membership of the Freemasons had been “a source of recurring suspicion and mistrust in the investigations”.

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who is responsible for setting the strategic direction of policing in London, has previously ruled out a compulsory register of freemasonry in the Met, saying it could go against officers’ human rights.

Met Commander Simon Messinger said: “We are now consulting on a proposal to add to that list involvement in Freemasonry – and potentially other organisations that could call impartiality into question or give rise to conflict of loyalties – and are keen to hear the views of our officers and staff.

“This does not prevent any member of staff joining the Freemasons or another similar organisation, but it means we will know who is a part of it.

“Strengthening the trust both our own staff and London’s communities have in the Met is a core part of our New Met for London plan and ambitions.”

Senior officers will be discussing the proposed policy change with the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the headquarters of Freemasonry in England and Wales.

A spokeswoman for the UGLE said: “Our position on this matter has always been clear – our members must declare if it has any relevance to their work.

“But a blanket declaration requirement is a violation of officers’ fundamental human rights to privacy and freedom of association.

“We are looking forward to our conversation with the Metropolitan Police on this matter.”

The Met said it now has one of the strongest entry vetting policies in UK policing and refusal rates have more than doubled from 5% in 2020-21 to 11% in 23-24.