Clegg puts Paddick in a fix over crime cutting claim

Lib Dem mayoral candidate Brian Paddick's claim to have cut crime in Lambeth have come under fire.

The former Met officer said crime fell by 0.5 per cent during his time as borough commander.

However, in an embarrassing gaffe, new party leader Nick Clegg told supporters yesterday that crime in Lambeth had fallen by a fifth under Mr Paddick's watch.

His words were later amended on Mr Paddick's campaign website after Evening Standard pointed out the figure was inaccurate. Official figures suggest crime in Lambeth actually went up under Mr Paddick. The confusion threatens to undermine his credibility. Crime did fall by 0.5 per cent between 2001 and 2003 but his campaign literature failed to mention he was removed from his job in March 2002 after an inquiry, which later cleared him, was launched into allegations he smoked cannabis. Crimes went up from 4,294 in March 2001 to 4,738 in March 2002 - a rise of 10.3 per cent. By the following December they had fallen by 2.5 per cent.

Mr Paddick argues the legacy of changes he made had an impact in Lambeth beyond his tenure, claims backed up by an HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report.