Freemasons urge court to halt police plan for officers to disclose membership

Freemasons have demanded that the high court issue an emergency injunction to halt the Metropolitan police's new policy which orders officers to tell their bosses if they are members of the organisation.

- Vikram Dodd

The Freemasons filed papers with the high court in London on Christmas Eve and claim the Met's policy amounts to "religious discrimination".

They say the Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, "is making up the law on the hoof" and accused his force of "whipping up conspiracy theories" about the influence of Freemasons.

The Met has vowed to fight back, seeing the policy as part of its effort to restore trust and credibility. A case currently under investigation involves claims of masonic influence and alleged wrongdoing.

In December the Met, which is Britain's largest force, said anyone who was part or had been a member of a "hierarchical organisation that require members to support and protect each other" must declare it.