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Dr Gillian Fairfield has been appointed to carry out an independent review of the Metropolitan Police’s progress in implementing reforms following Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s 2023 report into the force’s culture and standards.
The review has been jointly commissioned by the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, fulfilling one of the 16 recommendations made by Baroness Casey to provide public assurance that meaningful reform is underway.
Dr Fairfield will assess progress against Casey’s findings and recommendations, as well as the Met’s internal reforms under the New Met for London Plan. The review will examine whether changes have been embedded and are likely to be sustained over the long term, while identifying areas where further acceleration is required.
The assessment will also consider recent incidents and reviews affecting public trust, engage with officers, staff, partners and communities, and make practical recommendations for further action. A call for evidence and testimony is expected to launch in January, with findings due to be reported in summer 2026.
Dr Fairfield brings extensive experience to the role, having previously led an independent review of the Independent Office for Police Conduct and worked across the NHS and youth justice sectors.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the force had made “significant progress” since the Casey review, including launching the New Met for London Plan, carrying out what he described as the most extensive anti-corruption drive in British policing history, strengthening public protection teams and reducing violent and neighbourhood crime. However, he said the force was “not complacent” and welcomed the review as an opportunity to accelerate reform and generate new ideas.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said major cultural reform was underway but warned that recent reports and media investigations showed “there is still a long way to go”. He said the review would provide an “honest and independent appraisal” of progress in addressing institutional racism, homophobia and misogyny, and stressed that the pace of reform must increase.
Dr Fairfield said she would approach the review “without fear or favour”, describing it as a critical step in restoring public trust in policing in London. She said the review would be “ruthless” in calling out areas of concern while recognising good practice, and would focus on practical recommendations to improve confidence in the Metropolitan Police.
Baroness Casey welcomed the appointment, saying the scale of reform required to restore trust in the Met was substantial and that the follow-up review would assess whether sufficient progress had been made.
The review follows the publication of the Met’s New Met for London 2 plan, which aims to build on earlier reforms and ensure improvements are sustained over the long term.
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