The judge said they posed a threat to UK security, but the law says they cannot be deported – a tough test for new Home Secretary, Theresa May, on week one in the job. Two Pakistani nationals were amongst twelve arrested in a counter-terrorism operation in Manchester. In the absence of sufficient evidence to prosecute, […]
Read MoreThe latest crime figures show an increase in violence over the last year on the government’s preferred measure, the British Crime Survey (BCS). Even then, critics say that the BCS undercounts violence. It doesn’t count murders - the most serious violence. It doesn’t count repeated attacks beyond five offences - so it ignores tragic cases […]
Read MoreNo issue stirs up feeling quite like immigration. Here in Elmbridge you don’t get a lot of direct migration from abroad, but you do see two direct consequences - population pressure and movement. First, take the facts: Total net migration to Britain is up threefold since 1997 - from 48,000 to 163,000. The impact on […]
Read MoreThis weekend, I wrote an open letter to Surrey Police Authority, based on my own consultations, highlighting the local impact in Elmbridge of Surrey’s Operational Policing Review, and requesting further information. You can read the text of the letter below. Peter WilliamsChairmanSurrey Police Authority Dear Peter, SURREY POLICE REVIEW – IMPACT ON ELMBRIDGEThank you for […]
Read MoreToday, the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons published its report, Police Service Strength. It exposes the extent to which this government has choked local funding for police - literally pickpocketing the Surrey force. We already knew that Surrey taxpayers pay £5.5 billion per year to the Treasury, but get back just a […]
Read MoreYesterday, The Times reported that the government is looking to force through the merger of a number of police forces. After years of being short-changed by government – a 39% real term decrease in funding for Surrey police since 1997 – a forced merger of Surrey with other forces would be the thin end of […]
Read MoreOn Saturday, I visited Cobham’s police station and talked to local police and civilian volunteers, coordinated by Ken Purssey (see below). I listened to local concerns about the threat to Cobham station – and wider services across Elmbridge – as a result of the efficiency drive within the Surrey force. The Chief Constable recently consulted […]
Read MoreLast week a headline in the local paper ran: ‘Malicious youths hurl plant pots in Walton assault’. It was exactly the kind of mindless attack that is seized upon to demonstrate increasing anti-social behaviour, and declining order on our streets. But does it reflect the bigger picture across Esher and Walton? The truth is that […]
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