At the London Assembly this week embattled Met Police commissioner Cressida Dick was discussing with liberal members of the Assembly about how that it could be construed that the EDL was a ‘terrorist organisation’. It took an intervention from UKIP Member Peter Whittle to cut her down in flames and his colleagues. She previously described terrorist attacks in the UK as ‘Islamist inspired’

Whittle said: :

Whether you agreee with them or not, and I don’t, if you start talking about people like the EDL in terms of terrorism, I think you’re on to a real problem… You’ve got to be careful when you start saying people are terrorists.”

You’re talking about ‘right-wing’ groups… ‘extreme right-wing’, you have no problem saying that — but then you go on to say ‘so-called Islamist-inspired’. Why are you mealy-mouthed?

Dick responded flustered saying: “I think as a senior police officer it’s important for me, obviously, not to be mealy-mouthed, but equally not to randomly upset people who might get upset.

The majority of people carrying out terrorist attacks, 90 percent are Islam-inspired. We might not like it, you might not like to say it, but it is the case — why do you say things like ‘so-called Islamists’? You’re the Commissioner! Said Whittle

 

Dick then replied in a flustered state: “Because, I… Chair, I really don’t think we should get into a long conversation about this, not least because you want to push on,” the policewoman spluttered, appealing to the chairman to save her, without immediate success.

Because, I, ha… In the name of Islam is very different from Islamist for a start. We could get into a really long semantic conversation here, Peter.”

Before bing asked to stop by the Chair of the proceedings Whittle roasted her by saying:

The fact is, the vast bulk of terrorist attacks, whether it is 7/7, whether it’s Westminster, whether it was in Manchester, whether it was in Borough [Market], are Islam-inspired, Commissioner.

The fact is, you have got to face up to this. You’re quite clear about what it is with ‘right-wing’ extremism, I wish you would be explicit about this.”

Dick previously told the assembly that grooming gangs “been part of our society for probably centuries and centuries and centuries”.

Patriotic shop for all your remembrance day badges and Christmas gifts! Check it out here: