Members of the Metropolitan Police are required to inform their superiors if they currently are, or have ever been, affiliated with the Freemasons, as announced by the police force.
This organization has been included in the Met’s policy on declarable associations beside other “hierarchical organisations.”
The Freemasons, renowned as one of the oldest social and charitable societies, involves members who commit to the values of brotherhood and provide mutual assistance to one another.
This initiative stemmed from recommendations in the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report, which examined how the police dealt with the unresolved 1987 murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan.
Daniel Morgan, a 37-year-old father of two, was brutally murdered with an axe in the parking lot of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, southeast London, in March 1987.
Numerous investigations over the years revealed allegations of misconduct.
The 2021 report highlighted that police officers’ involvement with the Freemasons had raised “persistent doubts and a lack of trust” during the inquiries.
The Met’s decision came after a survey indicated that two-thirds of police officers and staff believed that membership in such organizations influenced the perception of police neutrality and affected public confidence.
Metropolitan Police Federation general secretary Matt Cane has previously stated that this requirement could infringe on officers’ human rights, labeling it “unnecessary and misguided.”
However, Commander Simon Messinger asserted that “now is the appropriate moment” to tackle these long-standing issues, emphasizing that public trust and staff assurance “must outweigh the confidentiality of any membership body.”
He clarified that the decision does not preclude officers from joining the Freemasons or similar organizations.
Senior officials within the police have engaged in discussions with the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the governing body of Freemasonry in England and Wales.
In response, UGLE condemned the policy as “unlawful, disproportionate, unjust, and discriminatory.”
In a statement, UGLE expressed disappointment, noting its attempts to engage constructively with the Met regarding the matter.
Adrian Marsh, representing the Order of Women Freemasons, remarked, “We view this action as unwarranted and are carefully considering an appropriate response. We will provide further comments in due course.”
### What Are Freemasons?
Freemasonry is a fraternal organization with a history spanning centuries, boasting approximately six million members globally, including over 200,000 in England and Wales.
Originating from medieval stonemasons’ guilds, members continue to convene in “lodges” where they conduct confidential initiation rites and ceremonies grounded in allegories, such as the construction of King Solomon’s Temple.
For two centuries, Freemasonry in England was exclusively male, but this changed in the 20th century, although many lodges remain male-only or female-only.
Freemasons don symbolic aprons and progress through various degrees of membership, with the phrase “giving someone the third degree” deriving from its final initiation stage.
Prominent historical members include Winston Churchill, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Oscar Wilde.
