Showdown at the top of Police Scotland as chief is told: ‘You’ve lost the dressing room’
Police Scotland's chief constable, Jo Farrell, has reportedly been told by a senior colleague that she has "lost the dressing room" amid growing turmoil at the top of the force. According to sources cited by the Mail, Assistant Chief Constable Wendy Middleton raised the concerns directly with Farrell, warning her that colleagues lacked confidence in her leadership and criticising a lack of transparency following a string of controversies, only to reportedly be told days later that she had no future in the organisation.
Sources describe the force's executive team as being in disarray, with senior officers said to fear being targeted in the same way as Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors, who is subject to a bullying investigation but has since been redeployed to the National Police Chiefs' Council. Colleagues suggest both Middleton and Connors are being "squeezed out" after challenging leadership, with Connors reportedly considering legal action against the "unlawful" probe, which began in December and is being led by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. Police Scotland declined to comment, while Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr said the reporting raised "serious questions" about leadership at the force.
- Colleague told Police Scotland chief Jo Farrell she'd "lost the dressing room"
- Force executive described as in disarray, resembling "Game of Thrones"
- Two senior officers say they're being pushed out after challenging leadership
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Police Scotland is the single force covering the whole of Scotland, formed in 2013 when eight regional forces merged. Jo Farrell has been chief constable since 2023, the most senior operational officer in the organisation, supported by a small team of deputy and assistant chief constables who run different parts of the force day to day.
Tension has been building at this senior level, with reports of poor relations between Farrell and some of her top team, including Assistant Chief Constable Wendy Middleton and Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors. Connors is currently the subject of a bullying investigation overseen by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner, an independent body that examines complaints against the police in Scotland, while continuing to work with the UK-wide National Police Chiefs' Council.
This matters because Police Scotland is the country's largest police force, responsible for policing for the whole population, and instability or infighting among its most senior officers can affect public confidence in how it is led and held to account. Any legal challenges or departures among top officers would also have implications for how the force is run and scrutinised going forward.