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A High Court judge has dismissed a legal challenge brought against the Metropolitan Police regarding its policy requiring staff to disclose whether they are current or former members of the Freemasons. This decision was announced by Mr Justice Chamberlain, who stated that the policy serves a legitimate purpose by aiming to maintain and strengthen public confidence in the police, and that it is proportionate.
The challenge was initiated by three organizations representing Freemasons across England, Wales, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands, along with two serving officers who are members of the Freemasons. This followed the Met’s announcement in December that membership in the Freemasons or similar groups would need to be declared under its policy on reportable associations. The policy mandates that officers and staff must reveal any past or present participation in groups characterized by hierarchical structures, confidential membership, and mutual support obligations.
Approximately 400 officers and employees have complied with this requirement so far. In his detailed 17-page ruling, Mr Justice Chamberlain determined that the challenge’s arguments lacked reasonable grounds, dismissing claims that the policy was discriminatory or unfairly stigmatizing to Freemasons. He emphasized that leaving declarations to individual discretion would not successfully uphold the goal of fostering public trust.
During a February hearing, representatives of the Freemason bodies and the officers sought permission to proceed with their case. Claire Darwin KC, advocating for the claimants, argued that the policy effectively created a “blacklist” and symbolized “an institutional signal of suspicion,” infringing on Freemasons’ human rights based on insufficient and perception-driven evidence. The Metropolitan Police, however, rejected these claims, asserting that employees remain free to join or maintain membership in the Freemasons and that accusations of blacklisting were unfounded. James Berry KC, representing the Met, maintained that concerns about human rights breaches and stigma were unsupported and noted that while the stigma associated with Freemasonry exists, it is the police’s responsibility to address such perceptions to preserve impartiality and public confidence
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