The next phase in shining a light onto the actions of London’s Met Police in the investigations of Gerhard’s killing, including its own internal standards division, the DPS, is to examine the extent to which it is able to be influenced politically, by politicians, and the channels through which it can be achieved.

London’s Met Police does not fall under the same oversight structures of PCCs. It falls under the responsibility of the Mayor (MOPAC), currently Sadiq Khan and his deputy, Sophie Linden who heads up the delegated responsibility for policing oversight.

In 2012, when PCCs were introduced, Boris Johnson was Mayor of London. As senior Conservative Party MP for Henley at the time of his appointment, Met Police fell under the responsibility of Conservative Party influence. Current Government Minsters Kit Malthouse and Stephen Greenhalgh served successively as MOPAC heads under Boris Johnson from 2008 to 2016.

In 2016, Sadiq Khan took over as Mayor of London which changed the landscape from Conservative to Labour; Khan a Labour MP and Linden, a Labour councillor for Hackney. Influence and oversight of London’s Met Police transferred with it. In 2021 Mayoral elections, Khan was re-elected, defeating Conservative Party candidate Shaun Bailey and Met Police influence and oversight remained under Labour.

Relevant to Gerhard’s case and the fight for the truth in his killing, is to examine the extent of Conservative Party political influence that remained and is able to be exerted in the face of Labour Party control of oversight and official influence.

And it is here, that the Devil in the Detail emerges.