Overview
- Addressing police leaders in Westminster, the home secretary called the 43‑force model "irrational" and said performance disparities have created a policing "postcode lottery."
- She said officers should focus on street crime such as shoplifting, phone theft and drugs offences, warning that too much police time is lost to duplicated bureaucracy and outdated systems.
- Lord Macdonald has been appointed to lead an independent review of protest and online policing powers, with recommendations expected in the spring and possible legislation to clarify the law.
- The government says abolishing PCCs will save about £100 million during this parliament and around £20 million annually thereafter, money it argues can be reinvested in frontline policing.
- Recent cases cited included Graham Linehan’s arrest over tweets and a £20,000 payout by Hertfordshire Police after a wrongful arrest, which Mahmood said raised concerns about decision‑making.