Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that police forces should “concentrate on what matters most to their communities”, as controversy continues over Essex Police’s investigation into a tweet by Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson. Speaking en route to the G20 summit, Starmer declined to comment directly on the case but stressed that operational decisions were a matter for individual forces, who would be “held to account” for them.
Essex Police are investigating an allegation of inciting racial hatred over a since-deleted post by Pearson, who says she was visited by officers on Remembrance Sunday. The force initially described the matter as a non-crime hate incident (NCHI) but later confirmed it is a criminal investigation, liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Pearson claims the nature of the inquiry was upgraded without explanation.
The tweet in question allegedly featured an image of two men holding a Pakistani political flag and criticised the Metropolitan Police for posing with “Jew haters”. Pearson has denied posting a racist tweet and says senior lawyers have stated the post does not meet the threshold for prosecution. She has described the police action as “wholly disproportionate” and “sinister”.
Essex Police released a partial transcript of body-worn video footage showing an officer telling Pearson: “It’s gone down as an incident or offence of potentially inciting racial hatred online. That would be the offence.” The force has also complained to the media watchdog Ipso over what it says is false reporting.
The case has reignited debate about non-crime hate incidents and the policing of social media. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has called for the rules governing NCHIs to be reviewed, while Starmer emphasised that the police should prioritise serious crime over online disputes.
