Peers in the House of Lords have taken aim again at circumstances surrounding former Cleveland Police Chief Constable Mike Veale.

Conservative Peer Lord Lexden referred to a misconduct hearing Mr Veale still faces from his ten-month spell with the force as being indefinitely postponed, with no date yet to be set.

He said a previous explanation given by Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner for the apparent delay was “impenetrable gobbledegook”.

Last November, Mr Turner said he was frustrated by a “complicated” hold-up in the proceedings involving Mr Veale – now the chief executive of the office of the Leicestershire PCC – adding: “It is complicated, it is interwoven with other things, and there is an order of things that I cannot supercede”.

During a debate prompted by Labour peer Lord Willy Bach, Lord Lexden said: “How can this impenetrable gobbledegook possibly be reconciled with proper public accountability?”

An investigation by police watchdog the IOPC took place to gather evidence into alleged inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour by Mr Veale towards staff while employed in Cleveland.

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Mr Turner subsequently announced in August 2021 that an independent panel chaired by an appointed lawyer was to be convened to determine any action to be taken.

Lord Sharpe, who has ministerial responsibility for the Home Office as Parliamentary Under Secretary, said the matter lay with the Cleveland PCC.

Another Conservative peer, Lord Cormack said: “The Minister… gives the impression of an incompetent and impotent Home Office.  “We really must have a proper inquiry into this man Veale and he must be properly dealt with.”

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Mr Veale previously faced criticism over the handling of an inquiry into child abuse claims against the late Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath when he was chief constable at Wiltshire Police.

The Cleveland disciplinary proceedings could potentially bar the 57-year-old from taking another police post with a ruling being made on what action, if any, should have been taken had he still been employed by the force.

A spokeswoman for Mr Turner’s office said: “A date for Mr Veale’s hearing has not yet been set.  “As this matter is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”