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Labour announces plans to replace police complaints commission Labour announces plans to replace police complaints commission
(35 minutes later)
Labour would abolish the Independent Police Complaint Commission and replace it with a tougher and much more robust Police Standards Authority to restore public trust in the police, the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has promised. Labour would abolish the Independent Police Complaints Commission and replace it with a tougher and much more robust Police Standards Authority to restore public trust in the police, the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has promised.
She said the need for reform had been demonstrated by the failures around the Hillsborough cover-up, the time it took to find out the truth about the death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protest, and the delays in getting new investigations underway into phone hacking and undercover policing. She said the need for reform had been demonstrated by the failures around the Hillsborough cover-up, the time it took to find out the truth about the death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protest, and the delays in getting new investigations under way into phone hacking and undercover policing.
"The IPCC wasn't able to sort out any of those cases," said Cooper adding that its new chair, Anne Owers, has already warned about its lack of powers. "The IPCC wasn't able to sort out any of those cases," said Cooper, adding that its new chair, Anne Owers, had already warned about its lack of powers.
She said the new body is urgently needed to ensure that isolated incidents are not allowed to damage the police's reputation. She said the new body was urgently needed to ensure that isolated incidents were not allowed to damage the police's reputation.
The move, which is also said to have the support of senior police officers, would see the creation of a police standards authority with new powers to compel witnesses, launch its own investigations, hold public hearings and impose sanctions. The move, which is also said to have the support of senior police officers, would see the creation of a Police Standards Authority with new powers to compel witnesses, launch its own investigations, hold public hearings and impose sanctions.
"Police officers need to know serious problems will be rooted out so they don't cast a shadow over everyone else," Cooper told the Labour conference in Manchester."Police officers need to know serious problems will be rooted out so they don't cast a shadow over everyone else," Cooper told the Labour conference in Manchester.
"Policing in a democracy needs proper checks and balances. Yet the system takes too long and the powers often aren't strong enough.""Policing in a democracy needs proper checks and balances. Yet the system takes too long and the powers often aren't strong enough."
The details of how the system will work is to be set out next spring by the independent commission on the future of policing, which was set up by Labour and is chaired by former Metropolitan police commissioner Lord Stevens. The details of how the system will work are to be set out next spring by the independent commission on the future of policing, which was set up by Labour and is chaired by former Metropolitan police commissioner Lord Stevens.
It is expected to include working much more closely with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to avoid the current duplication of effort. The new body would also ensure a faster resolution of complaints, easier access and better support for those complaining, and an ability to deal with organisational as well as individual policing failings. It is expected to include working much more closely with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to avoid the current duplication of effort. The new body would also ensure a faster resolution of complaints, easier access and better support for those complaining, and an ability to deal with organisational as well as individual policing failings.
The shadow home secretary also confirmed she would limit the role of private companies in policing and introduce an Economic Crime Act to target city fraud and money-laundering.The shadow home secretary also confirmed she would limit the role of private companies in policing and introduce an Economic Crime Act to target city fraud and money-laundering.
She promised that Labour police and crime commissioners who are elected in November will "halt this Tory rush to privatisation of our police". She said Labour would continue to support public-private partnerships in policing, especially in areas such as new technology, but any such contracts would have to pass a series of tests, including on value for money, transparency, resilience and public trust.She promised that Labour police and crime commissioners who are elected in November will "halt this Tory rush to privatisation of our police". She said Labour would continue to support public-private partnerships in policing, especially in areas such as new technology, but any such contracts would have to pass a series of tests, including on value for money, transparency, resilience and public trust.
"Let's be blunt. We don't want private companies patrolling the public streets of Britain," she said."Let's be blunt. We don't want private companies patrolling the public streets of Britain," she said.
The pledge to extend Freedom of Information legislation to private companies by Sadiq Khan, the shadow justice secretary, will cover contracts to deliver public services, such as prisons, hospitals and schools. They will be required to share with the public information on contracts that are funded with public money. The pledge to extend freedom of information (FoI) legislation to private companies by Sadiq Khan, the shadow justice secretary, will cover contracts to deliver public services, such as prisons, hospitals and schools. They will be required to share with the public information on contracts that are funded with public money.
Khan said it was time to "address this blind spot in our freedom of information laws" and in contrast to Tony Blair's view in his memoirs that he had been an "idiot" to introduce FoI in 2000, the shadow justice secretary said he was proud of the achievement, however awkward it could prove to be.Khan said it was time to "address this blind spot in our freedom of information laws" and in contrast to Tony Blair's view in his memoirs that he had been an "idiot" to introduce FoI in 2000, the shadow justice secretary said he was proud of the achievement, however awkward it could prove to be.
"Not only will the next Labour government protect FoI, we will seek to extend it," Khan promised the conference. "For the first time, FoI will cover the delivery of public services by private companies. This includes our prisons, our schools, and our health service. Public, private or voluntary, subjected to the same disinfecting transparency of FoI.""Not only will the next Labour government protect FoI, we will seek to extend it," Khan promised the conference. "For the first time, FoI will cover the delivery of public services by private companies. This includes our prisons, our schools, and our health service. Public, private or voluntary, subjected to the same disinfecting transparency of FoI."
On his justice brief, Khan also plans to create a dedicated minister for mental health within the Ministry of Justice and a women's justice board similar to the existing youth justice board. He also unveiled a new proposal to make it obligatory for the courts to consider the option of restorative justice as part of any sentence that is handed down.On his justice brief, Khan also plans to create a dedicated minister for mental health within the Ministry of Justice and a women's justice board similar to the existing youth justice board. He also unveiled a new proposal to make it obligatory for the courts to consider the option of restorative justice as part of any sentence that is handed down.
He said he hoped the women's justice board would emulate the success of the youth justice board in cutting the number of young people in custody by a quarter. A justice minister with responsibility for mental health would start to tackle the 70% of prisoners with two or more mental health problems.He said he hoped the women's justice board would emulate the success of the youth justice board in cutting the number of young people in custody by a quarter. A justice minister with responsibility for mental health would start to tackle the 70% of prisoners with two or more mental health problems.
"We've replaced the Victorian asylum with the Victorian prison," said Khan. "Festering in prison with serious mental health problems that can and should be treated is morally wrong.""We've replaced the Victorian asylum with the Victorian prison," said Khan. "Festering in prison with serious mental health problems that can and should be treated is morally wrong."