Image copyright VariousGreater Manchester Police has been ordered to hand over evidence for the Manchester bomb inquiry by the region’s mayor Andy Burnham.
Last month the force was criticised and accused of jeopardising the start of the public inquiry into the attack in May 2017 which killed 22 people.
GMP had missed a deadline to provide statements from officers in command.
Andy Burnham said it should “commit whatever resources are required” to submit to the inquiry by Friday.
GMP has been contacted for comment by the BBC.
“Neither I nor the deputy mayor were made aware by GMP of the delay to their evidence ahead of the hearing last Friday,” Mr Burnham said.
“We believe we should have been informed and have made this clear to GMP.
“We expect the preparation of these evidence statements to be a top priority for GMP and that they commit whatever resources are required to ensure that the remaining evidence and statements are produced for the inquiry by 6 December.”
‘Huge undertaking’
Fiona Barton QC, representing GMP, apologised at a hearing on 22 November.
“It has been a huge undertaking for GMP involving an enormous amount of material,” she told the inquiry.
A preliminary hearing is due to take place on 28 January at Manchester Town Hall with the inquiry scheduled to begin on 6 April.
Twenty two people were killed and hundreds injured when a device was detonated at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017.
The victims’ inquests were turned into a public inquiry in October so that secret evidence could be heard behind closed doors.
