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Ex‑Met Chief Leads Lords Bid to Scrap Recording of Non‑Crime Hate Incidents

A broad coalition in the upper chamber could force ministers to accept the change or face overturning it in the Commons.

Overview

  • Lord Bernard Hogan-Howe and Lord Toby Young tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to end mandatory recording of non-crime hate incidents.
  • Parliamentary reporting says dozens of crossbenchers plus Conservatives back the proposal, giving it a strong chance of passing in the House of Lords.
  • Non-crime hate incidents track behaviour below the criminal threshold to flag hostility and escalation risk, a practice introduced in 2014 after recommendations linked to the Stephen Lawrence case.
  • The Home Office review remains underway, with the College of Policing consulted on rewriting guidance to significantly cut the number recorded.
  • Critics cite civil-liberties concerns and resource strain, referencing estimates of 60,000 police hours a year, more than 13,000 entries last year, and potential disclosure on enhanced DBS checks.