Crispin Blunt

Conservative Party | Reigate

Crispin Blunt Rejects Plans To Restructure Surrey Police

On 23rd November 2005 Crispin Blunt, MP for Reigate, condemned the decision by Geoff Hoon MP, Leader of the House of Commons, not to allow a debate on the restructuring of police authorities. Today he has written to the Chairman of the Surrey Police Authority, Liz Campbell,  in response to a request for feedback on the proposed changes to Surrey Police.

The text of his letter was as follows:

Liz Campbell
Chairman, Surrey Police Authority
PO Box 412
Guildford
Surrey
GU3 1BR

28th December 2005

Thank you for writing to me to ask for my views on the Government’s proposals to re-structure the Surrey Police Force.

My views are plain: I am quite unconvinced of the case for re-structuring. People should feel a sense of identity with their police force and this should come from the police force receiving political direction from a democratic entity. There is an argument for a national police force and an argument for a county police force – there is even an argument for a police force at borough level with more limited policing responsibility. There is not, however, a satisfactory case for a sub-regional outfit effectively accountable to no-one.

In being asked to comment on various proposals put forward by the Home Office I am put in mind of the condemned man invited to choose the manner of his execution. In deciding whether Surrey constabulary is shot, guillotined or simply hung out to dry is a responsibility I do not intend to share, even indirectly, by being a party to this consultation process.

You have first-hand experience of the shocking manner in which this government directs the public services as a former non-executive director of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. Having been scarred by that experience my initial hope would be that you, as Chairman of the Authority, would be rather more cautious about assisting the Government with this shabby proposal. I understand from colleagues elsewhere in the country that there is spirited resistance being put up in the defence of the county constabularies and that this is not confined simply to Opposition Members of Parliament or Opposition-controlled local authorities. I had hoped Surrey would be a prominent player in this battle.

Given the public interest aspect of these proposals and the break-neck speed with which the Government is seeking to bring them about I am circulating this letter to my colleagues and releasing it to the press.

Crispin Blunt