Murder of Henry Nowak

Debate between Lord Hanson of Flint and Baroness Cash

Wednesday 3rd June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Lemos) (Lab)]

We will come to the Conservatives next. I encourage noble Lords on all sides of the House to keep their questions short so that the Minister has a chance to answer them fully.

[Baroness Cash (Con)]

My Lords, I agree with the Minister that it is a time for calm heads, but it is also not a time for heads in the sand. As the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, has just outlined, this wicked crime and terrible tragedy has thrown up issues about the conduct of the police and their paranoia on the ground. There is now a substantial 20-year body of scientific research that has established that diversity, equity and inclusion training, and all the training being rolled out by the police, does not work and causes more harm and division. Will the Minister undertake to the House to conduct a proper review of police training and resolve this once and for all?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

That is an important point, and I know that the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Government will reflect on the issues of training. However, the police still have a sacred duty to police without fear or favour. Everyone in this country is equal before the law, and that is the promise on which our justice system rests. The equality of the citizen is the foundation of our policing, and we will look at the lessons to be learned. That is not an empty phrase, as the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, believes it to be; it is a real commitment to examine with the police what has happened and ensure that, when we know the facts from the IOPC, we learn what needs to be remedied, if anything, as a result.

Muslim Brotherhood

Debate between Lord Hanson of Flint and Baroness Cash

Monday 5th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

The Charity Commission has monitored, is monitoring and will continue to monitor the performance of any organisation that meets charitable objectives. I know it is already examining some areas that the noble Baroness has brought forward. It is a matter for the Charity Commission to make a judgment on charitable status; it is not a matter for the Government to suggest or intervene on. I know it keeps it under review and will make recommendations to government if required, which we can act upon.

[Baroness Cash (Con)]

The Minister has said he cannot comment on the Question from the noble Lord, Lord Godson. But is it not correct that the Prime Minister himself has made a statement to lawyers Adam Wagner KC and Adam Rose that has subsequently been reported? He made an absolute commitment to expand the UK’s sanctions regime, and that has been reconfirmed, since the conversation with the Prime Minister, by the Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer. The disclosure has gone beyond the public statements from that Minister and referred to targeting organisations around Hamas and organisations like Hamas. Of course, we know that Hamas has described itself as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Would the Minister like to comment to confirm if that is correct?