Home Secretary Highlights Postcode Lottery in Police Response to Sexual Offences Amid Wider Political and Social Issues
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has acknowledged that victims of sexual offences face a 'postcode lottery' in how police respond, citing an Institute for Government report which found that up to 50% of officers in sexual violence and rape squads are trainees. To address this, the government plans to establish a specialist squad in every police force.
Mahmood discussed these issues in an interview with Trevor Phillips on Sky News, where she also highlighted the severe flu outbreak currently straining the NHS and urged resident doctors to accept a deal to avoid strikes.
In other political updates, the Conservative Party has indicated it would abandon plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 if re-elected, criticizing electric vehicle quotas as 'economic self-harm.' Meanwhile, Labour leader Keir Starmer condemned the two-child benefit cap as a 'failed social experiment' that penalizes working families and pushes many children into poverty.
Labour's Wes Streeting has written to Kemi Badenoch, calling for a cross-party consensus on gender identity services and warning against starting a trial of puberty blockers for children.
Starmer is also preparing to appoint a new ambassador to Washington from a shortlist of three candidates, with a decision expected before the end of the year amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine and attacks by former President Trump on European leaders.
Leading organisations have criticized the current government's violence against women and girls strategy as chaotic and worse than that of the previous administration. Ministers are preparing a policy announcement ahead of the publication of next week's plan.
