Does Britain have a ‘two-tier’ attitude towards policing? The Home Affairs Committee, made up of 11 Tory, Lib Dem and Labour MPs, is dismissive of the suggestion. ‘It was disgraceful to see the police officers who bore the brunt of (the) violence being undermined by baseless claims of ‘two-tier policing’, its report, published earlier this month, says of the police response to the ugly scenes that followed the Southport murders last July. It’s a questionable claim – and I’ve been left wondering why they chose to reference a piece I wrote about two-tier policing for The Spectator in August.
Legislation in the pipeline could give the police even more powers
‘Police response to the 2024 summer disorder’, the 46-page report put out by the committee, reads like an apologia. Drawing on evidence given by the police and bodies representing them, the committee supports senior officers in their condemnation of accusations of ‘two-tier policing’:
‘During the disorder, the police began to face accusations of ‘two-tier policing,’ suggesting that those involved in disorder had been policed more strongly than previous protesters.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in