Slowly but surely, British people from all faiths and backgrounds are being confronted by a minority who hate the liberal democratic west of which their country is an integral part and to which it has contributed so much.
This is not something that needs to be buried in any arcana about the Ministerial Code. Rishi Sunak does not need an inquiry to tell him whether he asked for changes to Suella Braverman’s article or not.
Let the protesters gather in one place, have their event, and disperse. No march. I’m reluctant to believe that the Met can’t police a rally properly if it puts its mind to it.
The tough choices we are making, to lock up the worst offenders for longer and to rehabilitate the redeemable, are the right ones to protect the public in the long term.
Only last week, the current PCC announced the closure of ‘at least’ 30 police stations, further exacerbating citizen’s safety concerns. I cannot sit on my hands and watch this happen.
Language matters, especially around an emotive and complex subject such as homelessness is. There is little forgiveness for imprecision, especially within the policy environment we have created by not articulating our own vision well enough.
But if such a programme extends beyond stemming the flow of cash (or at least attempting to do so), it is once again going to come back to law and enforcement. And that is thorny ground.
A new body, modelled on the Serious Fraud Office, is needed to independently and expertly investigate allegations of criminal wrongdoing against medical professionals and institutions.
One can give the police more legal powers, update the official definition of extremism, and all that. But it won’t produce different outcomes without a sea-change in how senior officers approach public order policing.
The current minimal-confrontation approach too often seems to leave officers tacitly enforcing the codes of the ugliest and most violent sections of society.
Sentences in the community can be just as punitive, provide a better opportunity for rehabilitation, and can reduce reoffending rates.
Hamas’ supporters or the authorities? Sunak needs to show that offenders will be prosecuted – and, if the situation deteriorates, to push for march bans, shuffle his Cabinet and show an all-party front with Starmer.
Politicians urge zero tolerance – but there’s a gap between law and enforcement. If the Met can arrest 155 anti-lockdown protestors, why can’t it do the same to pro-Hamas ringleaders?
By itself, the policy will likely save lives and take anti-social behaviour off the streets. But that is no basis for effectively legalising demand for drugs whilst leaving supply in criminal hands.
Sales of cigarettes and vapes to under 18s are already banned. Young people are likely to continue procuring them on the booming black market, unless there is rigorous enforcement of any new legislation.