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The murder of Henry Nowak has led to political debate about policing and race. Are we living in a “two-tier” nation where police now treat you differently based on the colour of your skin? That’s an argument Reform UK and the Conservatives have made following Nowak’s murder, seizing on the outrage the case has caused.
The police video released from the scene shows his murderer, Vickrum Digwa, lie to officers that Nowak had racially abused him, and police handcuffing rather than helping the dying teenager.
The Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp told MPs the officers’ biggest concern appeared to be making sure they couldn’t be accused of racism. He claimed officers were being taught “people should be treated differently based on the colour of their skin”, adding “this dangerous ideology of so-called anti racism... must end”.
Reform’s Nigel Farage claimed on X that it showed a “two-tier Britain... where the rights of white people matter less than ethnic minorities”. He said the response should be “pure cold rage”.
In the Commons today, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the case had been “tragic” and “people are rightly asking questions” about the police response. This was not a moment to pit “white Britons against non-white Britons” and any “political grandstanding” should be rejected.
She said she couldn’t comment on accusations of two-tier policing in this case because of an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) which would look at the conduct of the individual officers and any wider lessons from the case.
She said it is “important that nobody overcorrects” in response to Nowak’s murder. And she quoted his family who have said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred and tension.”
The essential: The murder of Nowak has led to claims from some politicians of “two-tier policing” and that concerns about accusations of racism may affect officers’ behaviour. Mahmood said the IOPC would be “encouraged” to find the truth and “if necessary, ensure there are consequences”.
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