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History

2025: Abolition of the office of Crime Commissioner

In November 2025, it was announced that Britain would abolish the post of crime commissioner - an elected official who since 2012 has controlled the work of the police, distributed budgets and could remove chief constables.

The reform is aimed at centralizing the management of police forces and transferring part of the powers to elected mayors. According to the authorities, the initiative will increase efficiency, reduce bureaucracy and save taxpayers £100m.

Opponents of the innovation warn that reducing the role of commissioners could weaken police transparency and accountability to the public.

The funds saved thanks to the reform will be enough for 320 new employees on the ground, authorities said.

According to police reports, the shortage of officers is about 8,000-10,000 officers nationwide. Major cities face the most acute shortages.

2023: Ex-Foreign Minister James Cleverly becomes Home Secretary

Former British Foreign Minister James Cleverly became Home Secretary. Previous Interior Minister Suella Braverman was dismissed after she published an article criticizing police actions during protests in support of Palestine.

Braverman said the rallies were not a cry for aid to Gaza, but an assertion of superiority by certain groups, especially Islamists of the type used to seeing in Northern Ireland, and also accused police of bias in favour of left-wing demonstrators.

Braverman was then unexpectedly accused of encouraging extremists and undermining the authority of thousands of police officers, with the Labour Party, Scottish National Party and Liberal Democrats calling for the minister to be sacked.