Police Reform White Paper

Connor Naismith Excerpts

Monday 26th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

As a Birmingham MP, I can very much relate to the hon. Member’s concerns about waste, fly-tipping and the possible involvement of organised crime. To the extent that it involves serious and organised crime, some of that will of course fall within the remit of the National Police Service going forward. These are important issues, and I would be happy to arrange for either myself or the Policing Minister to meet the hon. Gentleman.

[Connor Naismith (Crewe and Nantwich) (Lab)]

I particularly welcome the measures to ensure that warranted police officers go where we need them: on to our streets and into our communities. Can I draw particular attention to the intention to scrap the failed police uplift model—a policy that is about as Boris Johnson as it gets? Although it did recruit officers, they often ended up sat behind desks performing roles more suited to experienced police staff. Does the Home Secretary agree that scrapping police uplift will ensure that officers are more likely to be out fighting crime than sat behind desks?

[Shabana Mahmood]

Numbers matter, of course, but what matters more is what those officers are doing, and that is exactly what these reforms are about.