General · 17 February 2026
High Court backs Met Police checks on Freemasons
Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled that Scotland Yard’s requirement for staff to privately disclose links to the group is lawful. Police chiefs introduced this internal rule to prevent potential corruption or bias, with 397 personnel already admitting they belong to relevant societies. The fraternal organisation argued this violated privacy and human rights, but the judge decided public trust takes priority over membership secrecy.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs