I today backed South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings in his call for the force’s Chief Constable David Crompton to resign.

David Crompton’s comments following the Hillsborough inquiry undermined his apology and seemed, yet again, to shift blame on to the victims of the tragedy. His statement angered the Hillsborough families, undermined confidence in South Yorkshire Police and made his own position untenable. Dr Billings has acted in the interests of both the public and the police by suspending him and he must now resign. The South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel have described David Crompton’s actions as a catastrophic error of judgement. In the interests of local policing he should drop his legal action and resign now.