Justice Minister accused of 'using police to stifle scrutiny' - as Doug Beattie calls for 'audit' over Whatsapp messages
Naomi Long’s messages to a senior police officer complaining about a UUP press release were “a clear attempt to stifle scrutiny” – and raise concerns about the handling of sensitive information, an MLA has told the Assembly.
Doug Beattie also accused the justice minister of hypocrisy – and called for an “audit” of her messages to ensure sensitive material “is not being sent by insecure means”.
It follows revelations in Saturday’s News Letter that Minister Long had contacted Bobby Singleton to complain about the content of a UUP statement. Mrs Long sent texts to Mr Singleton over the party’s use of a PSNI logo – with the police chief immediately branding it “absolutely inappropriate”.
She told Mr Singleton that the UUP post “needs challenging” – and said while she “studiously” avoids any perception of interference in policing, the issue was “so far over the line, I don’t even know where to start”.
The messages were released after Freedom of Information requests by the UUP. The exchange took place as Mrs Long faced questions over the appearance of police officers’ names in court listings, in relation to legal action they were taking against the force over a data breach. The UUP had also described this incident as a “data breach” – something rejected by the minister, and later by the PSNI.
Mr Beattie raised the correspondence between the pair in the Assembly on Monday. The Upper Bann MLA said many parties “have been lectured” about PSNI operational independence by the justice minister. He said it is “clear” that the minister “is using her position of privilege to interfere with PSNI decision making”.
He said that many parties, including the Alliance Party, had used the PSNI logo on communications – but accepted that his party shouldn't have done that, and pointed out it had been “taken down at the request of the police”.
“Although it was the PSNI that requested it to be taken down, it was on the back of the justice minister’s interference in police operational decision making – through a series of WhatsApp messages discovered by a Freedom of Information request.
“These WhatsApp messages bring out a number of points. Firstly, the minister, who said the courts and tribunal service data release wasn't an issue, yet described the data release as a ‘problem’ to the police – clearly countering what she told this chamber.
“The minister was also trying to use the police to stifle scrutiny, as the press release was critical of her and her department.
“Secondly, she used the exchange in an attempt to undermine the Ulster Unionist Party leader's relationship with the police through derogatory comments.
“Lastly, the minister tried to influence the police by inferring that they should ask us to take it down. And secondly, by making a suggestion that the PSNI should challenge the Ulster Unionist Party on social media”, he said.
He told the Assembly it was “clear political interference in the operational activities of the PSNI and undermines the credibility of the Justice Minister. The word hypocrisy is used a lot – on this issue, it is apt.
“It also is it also raised the issue why the Justice Minister is using a non secure phone app to discuss operational matters. If she is doing this for issues around a critical press release, what else is she using it for? There now needs to be an audit of the minister's messages to ensure sensitive information is not being sent by insecure insecure means”, the UUP MLA said.
The Department of Justice has been contacted for a response.