UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Home Secretary Yvette Cooper backs changes in police guidance to allow public disclosure of ethnicity and immigration status in serious crime cases.
As reported by The Guardian, Yvette Cooper has called for a change in official guidance to allow police to disclose the ethnicity and immigration status of criminal suspects.
She stated that the government had tasked the Law Commission with examining the current guidance.
Yvette Cooper’s views on police revealing ethnicity
During a BBC interview, Yvette Cooper said she hopes the Law Commission will speed up its review of disclosure rules during criminal investigations.
She acknowledged the need to revise police guidance, stating that nationality details are already disclosed when deemed necessary.
Ms Cooper cited a May case involving Iranian nationals charged with spying, where it was revealed that three suspects arrived via small boats or a lorry.
She stated,
“It is an operational decision for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service on an individual case, what and when information can be revealed in a live investigation. However, we do think that the guidance needs to change, the College of Policing is already looking at this, and Home Office officials are working with the College of Policing.”
She admitted the crime data on ethnicity and immigration status remains inconsistent, with efforts to improve it launched late last year.
Ms Cooper said,
“There is some data recorded, but often it’s not really robust enough. So I think we’re going further than any government has done before in terms of trying to make sure that there is robust and transparent data.”
She warned that disclosing information too early could risk prejudicing court proceedings.
The home secretary said,
“We do need to recognise that there are times in court processes where there are legal issues where the Crown Prosecution Service will currently say: that particular pieces of information cannot be provided, where we may well think that they should be provided.”
She added,
“But I have been clear. We do think there should be greater transparency. We do think more information should be provided, including on issues around nationality, including on some of those asylum issues.”
What sparked the row over suspect identities in Nuneaton?
Two men have been formally charged in connection with the alleged rape of a minor in Nuneaton. George Finch, head of Warwickshire County Council, claims the accused, Ahmad Mulakhil and Mohammad Kabir, are asylum seekers.
Warwickshire police added,
“Once someone is charged with an offence, we follow national guidance. This guidance does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status.”
What did the PM’s office say about naming criminal suspects?
Sir Keir Starmer called on all agencies, including police, to be “as transparent as possible” when dealing with suspects charged with sexual offences.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson added,
“All authorities, from the police to central government, should be as transparent as possible for handling these cases.”
What did Nigel Farage say about police hiding suspect details?
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has accused Warwickshire Police of a “cover-up” in the case involving the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton.
He called for police to disclose suspects’ immigration status, warning that a lack of transparency could fuel public anger and spread misinformation.
Mr Farage added,
“What caused unrest on our streets after Southport last year was us not being told the status of the attacker. That led to crazy conspiracy theories spreading online.”