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5mo ago

Conservatives Push to Restrict Recording of Non-Crime Hate Incidents

Proposed amendment would limit police data collection to cases deemed critical for preventing or solving crimes, sparking debate over free speech and community safety.

The Tory amendment will seek to block police forces keeping records on people who have not broken the law but are accused of expressing views deemed offensive

Overview

  • The Conservative Party has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to ban routine recording of non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) unless approved by a senior officer.
  • Introduced after the 1999 Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, NCHIs track perceived prejudice-based incidents even when no criminal threshold is met.
  • Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argues that NCHI recording wastes police resources and undermines public trust, emphasizing the need to focus on serious crime.
  • Labour leaders, including Dame Diana Johnson and Yvette Cooper, warn the amendment could hinder monitoring of serious hate incidents, such as antisemitism and Islamophobia.
  • The amendment follows earlier 2023 guidance by Suella Braverman that narrowed NCHI recording criteria to cases involving clear hostility and significant risk.