Freemasons seek injunction to halt plans forcing Met officers to reveal their membership
Why Freemasons are taking legal action to stop Met officers being forced to reveal their membership
- The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is seeking an injunction to suspend a new Metropolitan Police policy requiring officers to declare their Freemasonry membership.
- The Met's policy mandates officers and staff to declare past or present membership of any hierarchical organisation with confidential membership that requires members to support and protect each other.
- UGLE argues the policy breaches human rights and GDPR rules, citing an inadequate consultation process and claiming it unfairly impugns the integrity of its members.
- The Met's decision follows a recommendation from the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report, which highlighted "recurring suspicion and mistrust" linked to police officers' Freemasonry membership in the 1987 murder investigation.
- Despite the Met agreeing to a consultation, UGLE has launched legal proceedings for an injunction as the force is not halting the policy's rollout during this period.