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Paul Kohler – 2026 Speech on the Disorder in Northern Ireland

The speech made by Paul Kohler, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Criminal Justice on 10 June 2026.

My thoughts and those of the whole House are with Stephen Ogilvie, who suffered truly horrific injuries on Monday night, and with the residents of Belfast who were forced to flee by rioters who do not speak for any legitimate community grievance. The knife attack was repugnant, but so too were the scenes that followed. This is the second consecutive summer of racially motivated disorder in Northern Ireland that the PSNI has faced while understaffed and underfunded. The Minister rightly says that the PSNI should be given time and space, but will he confirm what additional financial support the Government will provide for the PSNI, because it needs it?

Although the alleged attacker had leave to remain, concerns about irregular migration across the Northern Ireland border are being exploited by right-wing extremists to foment hatred and division. Given the importance of accurate information, will the Minister confirm whether the Government will begin collecting data on such crossings, as officials were unable to provide it when I recently raised the issue as a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee?

Dan Jarvis

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the sensible way in which he has brought his points forward. He is right to raise the resourcing of the PSNI. The Government recognise the financial pressures that the PSNI faces. As he will understand, policing is largely a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, but in recognition of the security situation in Northern Ireland, the Government are providing the PSNI with £37.8 million in additional security funding for each financial year until 2028-29. As I have said, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is in Northern Ireland with Chief Constable Jon Boutcher this morning, and I am certain that they will be having conversations about whether we can provide any further support.

The hon. Gentleman made some entirely reasonable points, which I agree with, including around transparency. It is important that there is always transparency in this case and in all cases, but I know that he will understand that I am very limited in what more I can say because of the ongoing live police investigation.

10/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : NPT Safeguards Agreement with Iran – Quad statement to the IAEA Board of Governors [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 June 2026.

France, Germany, the UK and the United States (the Quad) delivered a joint statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board on Iran’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement.

Chair,

France, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States thank the Director General for his latest reports and commend the Agency’s continued efforts to ensure the implementation of safeguards by Iran and verify the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions by Iran. We reiterate our full support for the Agency’s professional, independent, and impartial work which remains indispensable to upholding the integrity of the NPT’s global safeguards architecture.

Chair,

This Board comes at a crucial moment in time:

It has been a year since this Board found Iran in non-compliance with its legal obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement. This followed a long and well documented pattern, spanning more than two decades, of insufficient cooperation with the Agency on safeguards and extensive reporting by the IAEA Director General regarding concerns around undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran. Since then, rather than remedying the points of concern voiced by the Board, Iran has taken steps that have even deepened its non-compliance.

It has been a year, too, since Iran last allowed the Agency to inspect the most proliferation-sensitive facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. We deeply regret that, since the last meeting of the Board, Iran has continued to prevent the Agency from conducting in-field verification activities, with the exception of the Bushehr power plant. Iran has likewise failed to implement the special measures provided for by the NPT Safeguards Agreement, including by not producing the reports the IAEA has requested on Iran’s affected nuclear facilities and associated nuclear material.

As a consequence, the Agency was unable to discharge its safeguards and verification responsibilities stemming from both Iran’s NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Therefore, the Agency cannot draw a safeguards conclusion for 2025 in respect of Iran’s previously declared nuclear material, that it has been unable to verify, including 440 kg of high-enriched uranium. It should be of concern to all Members of this Board that the Agency is unable to verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, particularly in the context of the newly declared facility in Isfahan. For a year, Iran’s HEU has remained unaccounted for. As the Director General’s report reminds us, Iran remains the only state without nuclear weapons to have produced and accumulated uranium enriched up to 60%. The Director General has reported that access is long overdue and the lack of access is a matter of proliferation concern and of compliance with Iran’s NPT Safeguards Agreement.

In addition, Iran is still failing to implement modified Code 3.1, contrary to its NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of UN Security Council and Board resolutions. Iran also continues to ignore Security Council and Board resolutions which call for the immediate implementation of its Additional Protocol.

Finally, the DG’s report reminds us of the long history of Iran’s failure to address unresolved safeguards issues, and that the Agency has outstanding concerns about the possible presence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran.

Chair,

We recognise that Agency verification activities in Iran have been impacted due to safety concerns. However, the Director General’s reports since then clearly show that Iran is fully able to facilitate IAEA inspections on the ground when it determines such visits are in its interests. But rather than allow the IAEA to return to full implementation of its mandate, which would help build confidence in the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, Iran instead continues to obstruct the Agency’s ability to conduct its crucial safeguards work. We call on Iran to urgently reconsider this approach and allow the IAEA to conduct necessary in-field verification activities at all declared facilities in Iran. The Agency has made repeatedly clear that there is no current technical or nuclear safety reason preventing the inspectors from doing so.

No state under the NPT should be allowed to stonewall the IAEA and disregard its legally binding obligations. Not only do Iran’s actions raise urgent concerns regarding the nature of its nuclear programme, they also threaten the very integrity of the global nuclear safeguards regime. The longer Iran continues to disregard its obligations, the more it undermines the non-proliferation regime that protects us all. It is of utmost importance that this Board takes action to uphold the NPT and protects the indispensable role of the Agency in verifying safeguards implementation. We all must continue to hold Iran accountable.

We urge Iran to immediately return to full compliance with its legally binding obligations arising from its NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Iran’s obligations are not negotiable, we reiterate the Director General’s statement that the implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement cannot be suspended under any circumstances. The draft resolution introduced by the US and the E3 underlines these obligations and specifically details the concrete and immediate steps Iran must take to return to full compliance with its NPT Safeguards Agreement.

Chair,

We fully support the ongoing diplomatic efforts towards a negotiated solution that ensures in a verifiable and sustainable way that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. We remain committed to diplomacy and to working with all Board members to uphold the authority of the IAEA and the integrity of the global non-proliferation regime. With this, we take note of the reports contained in GOV/2026/33 and GOV/INF/2026/9 and ask that they be made public.

Thank you, Chair.

10/06/2026
Jeremy Corbyn – 2026 Comments on the Disorder in Northern Ireland

The comments made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent MP for Islington North, on 10 June 2026.

The far-right violence in Belfast is utterly sickening.

Houses set on fire. Migrants and minority ethnic people chased out of their homes. Shouts of “foreigners out”. Yet again, the far-right are weaponising an appalling attack to whip up hatred against entire communities.

When politicians demonise migrants, hatred spreads. When politicians call for ‘pure, cold rage,’ people listen. Their racist bile will not build a single hospital, help a single homeless person or lift a single child out of poverty.

There is only one way we can defeat the far-right: by standing up to racism, ending the grotesque economic injustices in our society, and fighting for a future where all people of all communities can live in dignity.

10/06/2026
Chris Philp – 2026 Speech on the Disorder in Northern Ireland

The speech made by Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2026.

Monday night’s attack was disgusting and barbaric. The victim suffered serious injuries to his neck and lost an eye. I am sure that the thoughts of the whole House are with him. I thank the police and emergency services for responding and pay tribute to the members of the public who so bravely intervened. I commend the police for confirming the suspect’s identity swiftly, because full transparency is vital in these cases. Will the Minister confirm that the PSNI will have all the resources needed to deal with these issues?

We have all seen the footage of the appalling attack, featuring a Sudanese illegal immigrant, but let me be clear: violence of any kind in protest is never justified. Innocent people should never be targeted and nobody should ever set fire to houses or cars. Speaking as a father, no one should ever feel unsafe in their homes. I hope that the police will bring the perpetrators swiftly to justice.

I do understand, though, why people are angry. The suspect came into the UK illegally—he should never have been here in the first place. Mainstream politicians must now understand how angry the public are about mass illegal immigration. If mainstream politics does not stop this, the public will turn elsewhere.

Since the election, 73,000 people have entered the country illegally via small boat, mostly young men, and many have committed serious crimes. I recently met the mother of Rhiannon Whyte, a young woman brutally murdered by a Sudanese small-boat migrant. There have been multiple rapes and sexual assaults, with victims as young as just 13. Over time, I have come to realise that there is ultimately only one way to end illegal immigration: by leaving the European convention on human rights so that we can deport all illegal migrants upon arrival. Illegal migration will then stop, and these appalling crimes with it.

Dan Jarvis

I am grateful to the shadow Home Secretary for the points that he has raised and, in particular, for the clarity with which he made the point about violence never being justified. He is absolutely right, and I hope that we can speak with a strong sense of unity about that. He specifically asked about ensuring that the PSNI has the resources it needs to do the difficult work being asked of it at this moment. I know that he understands that policing is devolved, but as I have said, the Secretary of State is in Northern Ireland this morning to work out what more we can do to provide support and to ensure that the PSNI has the resources it needs.

The shadow Home Secretary spoke about the anger that people feel, and that is absolutely understood. I am sure that all right hon. and hon. Members will have seen the footage that is circulating online. While clearly I have to be incredibly careful not to get in the way of a live investigation, it is understandable why people will feel extremely angry at what they have seen, but it is important that that anger does not tip over into criminality and the kind of thuggish behaviour that we have seen.

The shadow Home Secretary rightly raised concerns about the importance of making sure that this Government, as with any Government, have the right framework in place to deport those foreign national offenders who come here and engage in criminality. I think he is aware of the figures: there have been 67,000 deportations and removals under this Government, which marks a significant increase. I hope that he and the House recognise the seriousness and the urgency with which we take these matters. They need to be dealt with calmly and effectively, but this Government will do everything in our power—and if further powers are required, we will ensure that we have them—to deport and remove those people who present a threat to the public.

10/06/2026
Dan Jarvis – 2026 Statement on the Disorder in Northern Ireland

The statement made by Dan Jarvis, the Minister for Security, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2026.

I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to this question, which I am answering on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who this morning met the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to receive an update on the situation.

Let me start by saying that my thoughts, as I am sure the thoughts of the whole House, remain with the victim of the horrifying knife attack in north Belfast earlier this week and with his family. The House will be aware that a man has been charged in relation to that incident, and I can confirm that he is a 30-year-old Sudanese national who received refugee status in 2023 and was granted five years’ leave to remain. We must now allow justice to take its course.

The attack on Monday evening has understandably caused anger and profound concern. However, there is a line between concern and disorder, and we must never allow it to be crossed. Let me be absolutely clear: there is no excuse for the disgraceful scenes of violence and disorder that occurred in Northern Ireland last night. Houses and vehicles were set on fire, placing lives at risk, terrifying law-abiding citizens and forcing residents to flee their homes. Reports that ethnic minorities were targeted are sickening.

I wish to pay tribute to the police and the other emergency services for their work last night. Faced with an extraordinarily challenging situation, they responded with great courage and they are owed our thanks.

Our message to those responsible for last night’s disorder is altogether different. To them we say this: you will be caught and you will face the consequences of your actions. As of this morning there had been three arrests, but more will surely follow. To those considering joining further disorder, my message is clear: do not do it—you will be held accountable for your actions, and you will feel the full force of the law.

As hon. Members are aware, policing is a devolved matter, but the Home Office is of course monitoring the situation closely, and we are working with operational partners to understand and act on any implications for public order across the United Kingdom.

Finally, I recognise that tensions are running high. At times like this, there is an even greater onus on us all, as the custodians of our democracy, to respond with unity, to choose our words and actions with care, and to uphold the first duty of the state, which is to maintain order on the streets and to keep the public safe, because the shameful scenes that we saw last night are not who we are, and they never will be.

Claire Hanna

It has been a shocking two days in Northern Ireland. The horrific knife attack in north Belfast has left a man fighting for his life, and an entire community distressed by what they have seen. Justice must of course take its course and deliver for that victim, whose family have asked for calm.

Last night brought further outrage. Children in my constituency, and in others, were lifted out of their beds as their homes burned. Masked men roamed the streets, going from door to door, menacing and setting fire to cars, buses and homes, terrorising people on the basis of the colour of their skin or the sound of their voice—people from Sudan, people from India, people from Ukraine, and people from Belfast. Today, businesses are shuttered, medical appointments are cancelled, and schools are being closed for fear of getting young people home. So many people are frighted to walk the streets and to be in their own homes tonight. And when all the online agitators who stoke this stuff move on to their next target, we will be the ones left to pick up the pieces.

People are of course entitled to their views on immigration, and of course Government policy is not perfect, but this has not been a debate or conversation. There have not been proposals, and there has not been honesty about the trade-offs. There has been mob justice, and some of the same-old, same-old proposals for a hardened border on the island of Ireland. Political leaders have a duty to lead, not to lean into people’s worst fears and anxieties. That video of the awful crime in north Belfast was unusual in its brutality, but the cycle of deflection and disorder has not been unusual. We have seen this movie too many times before.

In Belfast we know all about blaming an entire community for the actions of others, we know all about scapegoating and tit-for-tat violence, and we know all about street justice. Violence creates division. It is affecting our economy, and undermining the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland who want to work together to build a better future. What support will the Government provide to those who have been harmed by this awful violence? Will they ensure swift justice for all the perpetrators of the last few days, and what will they do to bring to heel the online platforms that drive this madness?

Dan Jarvis

The hon. Lady describes with great clarity the impact of the scenes that we have seen in Northern Ireland over the past number of hours. Let me be absolutely clear: the scenes of disorder that we witnessed in parts of Northern Ireland last night are not only damaging communities, but literally putting lives at risk. Like her, I utterly condemn the attacks on property and vehicles, and the other related violence that we have seen. There is no justification at all for that type of thuggery, and no place for it in Northern Ireland or anywhere else.

The hon. Lady will agree that it is now vital that the Police Service of Northern Ireland is given the time, space and full support that it needs to continue with its investigation. The rule of law must, and will, prevail; justice must, and will, be served.

Violence is never a justified response, and this disorder only causes pain and suffering for those living in the area, as the hon. Lady eloquently described. Those involved need to take a step back and consider the consequences of their actions. I strongly urge anyone who has information, no matter how small it might seem, to come forward and contact the PSNI urgently in order to assist it with its inquiries.

The hon. Lady specifically asked what support is being offered. She will understand that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is in Belfast today, and I know that he will be working with colleagues there to ensure that they have the support and resources they need to deal with this very troubling situation.

10/06/2026
Lindsay Hoyle – 2026 Statement on the Violent Disorder in Northern Ireland

The statement made by Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, in the House on 10 June 2026.

Before we come to Prime Minister’s questions, I know that the thoughts of the House will be with those affected by the events in Belfast this week. I should inform the House that charges have been brought against a man following the attack on Monday night. That case is now sub judice. It is possible that other charges will be brought, including in respect of events in Belfast in the aftermath. I am granting a full waiver to allow Members to discuss wider issues raised in the context of this incident. However, I must urge Members in the strongest terms not to discuss the details of any individual case. This includes not discussing any motive, nor the guilt or innocence of any individual. Members should avoid wider speculation that could be prejudicial in any future criminal trials.

10/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : NPT Safeguards Agreement with Iran – Resolution to the IAEA Board of Governors [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 June 2026.

Statement on behalf of France, Germany, the UK and United States (the Quad) to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board meeting introducing a resolution on Iran’s implementation of its obligations under its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement.

Thank you, Chair.

On behalf of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we express our sincere gratitude to Director General Grossi and to his team for their tireless efforts to fulfill the IAEA’s verification and monitoring mandate in Iran.

Colleagues,

One year ago, this body determined that Iran’s failure to credibly address critical safeguards concerns that had been outstanding for more than six years constituted noncompliance with its NPT-required Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. We will not take time today to again recite the list of issues that gave rise to this finding or to reiterate Iran’s many missed opportunities to address these issues. The matters have been discussed at length and were well-articulated in the May 2025 Comprehensive Assessment produced by the Director General at the Board’s request. We will simply underscore that the concerns in question relate to Iran’s core legal obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and led the Director General to conclude at that time that he could not rule out that nuclear material remained unaccounted for and outside of safeguards in Iran and he could not provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program was exclusively peaceful.

The finding of non-compliance last year was not an action the Board took lightly. We deliberated for years before finally taking this necessary step. It was necessary to defend the IAEA’s authority, necessary to protect the credibility of the global safeguards regime, necessary to fulfill the Board’s statutory mandate, and necessary to send the message to Iran – and to any state posing proliferation concerns – that safeguards obligations are not optional. At that time, we deferred reporting the non-compliance to the UN Security Council in New York to give Iran additional time to choose a different path before such reporting.

Regrettably, Iran chose the path of continued defiance of its obligations. Since the adoption of last year’s resolution, Iran has not only not engaged the IAEA at all on the outstanding matters, but it has also doubled down on its non-cooperation, further deepening its non-compliance with its CSA.

In his latest reports, the Director General makes clear that Iran’s cooperation over the past year falls far short of what is legally required, even considering the extenuating circumstances it faces. We underscore the Director General’s view that it is “indispensable and urgent to implement effectively the NPT Safeguards Agreement, which remains in force, and that its implementation cannot be suspended by Iran under any circumstances.”

While we welcome Iran’s facilitation of in-field inspection activities at the Bushehr facility earlier this month, we must also note that Iran has repeatedly delayed IAEA visits to other declared facilities, and for nearly a year now has refused to provide required information about or access to its four uranium enrichment facilities or the enriched uranium stockpiles associated with those facilities. As a result, the Director General reports that he cannot verify the status, for safeguards purposes, of these facilities and associated nuclear material. The Agency’s lack of access to this material for nearly a year – which is long overdue according to standard safeguards practice – is a matter of proliferation concern and of compliance with the NPT Safeguards Agreement. We are deeply concerned by this situation and we echo the Director General’s view that this matter should be addressed with “utmost urgency.”

In addition to the IAEA’s statutory mandate to implement Iran’s CSA, the Board has directed the IAEA to also verify Iran’s implementation of its obligations under relevant provisions of UN Security Council resolutions. We note with concern that the Director General has reported now for the second time that due to a lack of cooperation from Iran, he is unable to conduct these verification activities. This is unacceptable. Like the CSA, these UNSCR obligations are legally binding and must be implemented.

Chair, Colleagues,

In light of the foregoing facts, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States have decided to table a resolution for the Board’s consideration today. Iran’s actions have left little choice. We underscore that we continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the longstanding concerns posed by Iran’s nuclear program and we remain hopeful that such a solution will be found. But any such solution will necessarily rest on the foundation of verification and monitoring that the Board has the responsibility to uphold, and no deal will be sustainable if Iran’s safeguards non-compliance is not also addressed.

The resolution we have tabled is intended to express the Board’s deepening concern with Iran’s ongoing refusal to cooperate with the IAEA to resolve the outstanding safeguards concerns, with its more recent actions that deepen its CSA non-compliance, and with its failure to provide the IAEA with the necessary access to verify its obligations under relevant UN Security Council resolutions. We hope we can find broad agreement in the necessity of supporting the Director General’s efforts to carry out the Agency’s verification and monitoring authorities and defending the safeguards regime in the face of blatant violations. That is what this resolution does, and we hope you will support it. In this vein, we welcome the following co-sponsors of this resolution: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Lithuania, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and Romania, and we welcome other members who wish to indicate their co-sponsorship during subsequent interventions.

Even more than that, though, we hope that Iran will listen to the views expressed here today, reconsider its approach to these matters, and engage anew in the diplomatic negotiations underway while cooperating fully with the IAEA to provide all required information and access. Iran has another opportunity to change course before the Board acts to provide the statutorily required report to the UN Security Council – but the substance of that required report is in Iran’s hands.

10/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Devastation and suffering in the Middle East must act as a powerful reminder of the very purpose of the Security Council and spur us into action – UK statement at the UN Security Council [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 June 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

Thank you President. I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing.

Escalating conflicts in the Middle East have had a devastating human cost and led to wider regional and global instability.

We have seen death, displacement and destruction. The basic foundations of life such as healthcare, shelter, food and education becoming a daily struggle.

The United Nations and this Council play a crucial role in fostering peace. We underline the importance the Secretary-General’s good offices in preventing and resolving conflicts, as well as upholding international law.

President, in regards to the escalation in the region in recent days. The United Kingdom is clear that all efforts should be focused on achieving a lasting peaceful settlement. A return to widespread hostilities is in no one’s interest. All sides must show restraint, de-escalate, and continue working towards a diplomatic solution.

We condemn Iran’s continued attempts to hold the global economy to ransom by closing the Strait of Hormuz, as well as their attacks on the region including overnight against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. We stand with our partners in the Gulf in the face of these reckless attacks.

We call on Iran to de-escalate, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to restore freedom of navigation as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to engage in meaningful dialogue with the US. We welcome the efforts of Pakistan and others to support a diplomatic solution.

Amidst this difficult backdrop, we must not lose sight of Gaza and the promise of Security Council Resolution 2803.

All parties must deliver on their commitments and uphold the ceasefire. We urge Hamas to fulfil its commitment to decommission its weapons and destroy terror infrastructure.

And we urge Israel to lift its indefensible restrictions on humanitarian access, and to allow the UN, including UNRWA, and international NGOs to deliver life-saving assistance in line with its obligations under international law. Humanitarian aid must never be conditional or used as a political tool.

We must also reverse deeply worrying trends in the West Bank, which undermine prospects for peace. Yesterday, the UK announced new sanctions on those responsible for settler violence and we will not hesitate to take further steps to protect the viability of a two-State solution.

In Lebanon, recent escalation has threatened the hard-won ceasefire brokered by the United States. We urge all actors to cease hostilities immediately and engage constructively in negotiations.

We are appalled by the death of another UNIFIL Peacekeeper and the injury of two others last week. We urge all parties to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel, in accordance with international law.

In Syria, we have seen important progress towards reconstruction and stability, and we welcome ongoing cooperation between the UN and Syria in support of an inclusive political transition.

However, we are concerned about continued Israeli incursions into Southern Syria which risk undermining this progress. We urge Israel to resume negotiations with the Syrian Government, and to pursue a diplomatic solution.

The United Nations was built upon a key founding principle: to protect future generations from the scourge of war. Devastation and suffering in the Middle East must act as a powerful reminder of the very purpose of this institution and spur us into action; to end the cycle of violence and build a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the region.

The United Kingdom will continue to champion the UN’s unique role in helping to build and maintain this peace.

Mr. President, I came here to discuss the situation in the Middle East. But it is important to be clear about tackling conflict and countering intolerance wherever they exist.

The UK is proud of the achievements to ipeace in Northern Ireland over decades, in partnership with the government of Ireland and with the support of the United States.

Just as we have been proud to support the peace process in Colombia over the last decade. Peace and stability require continuous effort to counter those who would undermine them.

As my Prime Minister said today:

“The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable.

“There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere.

“It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background, and I will not tolerate it.

“Those responsible will feel the full force of the law.”

End of quote.

But it is not helpful or appropriate to conflate individual acts of racism and violence with the heinous crimes committed by the Nazis in the Holocaust.

10/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : PoliceAI to speed up investigations and fight crime [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 10 June 2026.

Officers across England and Wales will spend less time behind desks and more time protecting their communities, as the government today launches PoliceAI – a new national centre dedicated to the responsible development, piloting and scaling of artificial intelligence in policing.

The centre, backed by a record £75 million over 3 years, will work across all forces to identify, test and scale AI tools that deliver real results.

Early trials show the scale of what is possible: 800 hours of footage in a kidnapping case reviewed in 3 hours, producing an early guilty plea; and half a million e-books of data translated instantly, leading to the arrest of a serious organised crime gang.

PoliceAI is part of a record £140 million investment in AI technology over 3 years, including funding for 40 more live facial recognition units, tripling current capacity of a technology that is already proving its value in catching wanted rapists, domestic abusers and child sex offenders.

The government is also investing a record £16.5 million to modernise how police and the public interact. This includes AI that transcribes 999 and 101 calls, links crime reports to identify patterns in demand, and triages non-emergency calls to the right responder.

Policing Minister Sarah Jones said:

AI is already helping police catch dangerous offenders, speed up investigations and keep our communities safe – and we are only just getting started.

PoliceAI will transform how every force in England and Wales works, improving police access to data and intelligence, generating new evidential leads and ultimately freeing up the equivalent of 3,000 extra officers and putting more police back where they belong: in our communities

But we will only realise that potential if we do this responsibly, with public consent at every step. That is exactly what PoliceAI is designed to deliver.

Tackling tool theft and retail crime is a priority. We are investing £1 million to better join up police data with property marking schemes, use AI to identify stolen goods and track resale online, and understand exactly what is being stolen and by whom. Alongside PoliceAI’s work to speed up investigations, this will help return more property to victims and get officers back onto the frontline.

In its first year, PoliceAI will prioritise areas where AI can make the biggest immediate difference.

It will run large-scale pilots in up to 10 forces to help officers triage, disclose and summarise digital evidence – one of the most time-consuming parts of any investigation. These trials will run over 2026-27 before being scaled to all police forces in 2027, freeing up millions of hours per year. It builds on work to help police adopt AI to redact audio-visual files, set to free up 1 million hours per year if all 43 forces use the tech we are rolling out.

It will lead the national policing response to AI-enabled crime, including deepfake intimate images, through a new Policing AI Threat Hub. Police AI will get high quality deepfake detection tools and training into the hands of police forces so they can tackle new AI-enabled crimes.

It will also help the police tackle the scourge of retail crime and tool theft by helping police establish who recovered tools belong to so they can be returned to victims quickly.

PoliceAI interim director Alex Murray OBE said:

Crime and technology are evolving rapidly. Policing must keep pace by adopting AI responsibly to catch criminals and keep people safe.

We have created a national AI centre to help policing work smarter – our job is to get responsible AI into the hands of officers and staff so that they can spend less time on bureaucracy and more time fighting crime and helping the victims, witnesses and communities they work so hard to protect.

Ian Murray, Minister for Digital Government and Data said:

People should see the benefits of technology in the services they rely on every day – that means quicker results, better tools, and a system that works more effectively from start to finish.

PoliceAI is about putting that into practice – using cutting-edge AI to help forces process evidence faster, reduce paperwork and focus their time where it matters most.

By testing what works and scaling it across the country, we’re making sure these improvements are felt in every community – while building trust in how this technology is used.

PoliceAI is set to become part of the planned National Policing Service and will publish a public registry of AI tools in use across policing, developed in partnership with CENTRIC at Sheffield Hallam University. A first version will be available by the autumn.

AI models will be independently tested for accuracy and bias, building on the government-funded rigorous approach already established for live facial recognition algorithms. This is vital in areas like evidence translation where documents must be translated accurately to stand up in court.

Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing said:

The College of Policing is proud to host PoliceAI, an emerging technology that we are committed to explaining clearly, how it works, how it is evaluated, and the safeguards in place to build public confidence in its use.

While history shows that some of the greatest advances in policing have come through technology, from body worn video to modern forensics, technology alone is never enough; it must be guided by strong leadership and grounded in our Code of Ethics.

By combining these innovations with the College’s commitment to high standards, evidence-based practice and continuous improvement, we are facing an historic shift for British policing that will help keep the public safe and strengthen trust in the service.

The launch forms a central part of the Police Reform White Paper, published in January 2026, which set out the most ambitious redesign of policing in nearly 200 years. It directly supports the government’s Plan for Change and its Safer Streets mission – putting more visible, effective policing at the heart of every community. We have already put 3,000 more neighbourhood officers on our street, where the public rightly expect them to be – out in local areas, fighting local crime. 13,000 new neighbourhood officers will be in place by the end of this Parliament.

Blair Gibbs, Director of the Police Foundation said:

PoliceAI has the potential to transform policing.  By harnessing these innovative technologies and designing how to deploy them responsibly, the UK will be leading the world in how to leverage Artificial Intelligence within a democratic policing model. 

Extra investment is welcome, and the key to making an impact will be to bring in outside experts and make fast decisions, so PoliceAI can support local forces to scale their use of AI quickly and transparently.

The Tony Blair Institute’s Senior Director of Policy & Politics, Ryan Wain, said:

This is a welcome step to help police make better use of technology in the fight against crime. For too long, some of the loudest voices have focused on the risks of innovation without giving equal attention to the opportunities it offers to protect the public.

No one joins the force to fill out forms or spend hours reviewing evidence; they join to stop criminals. AI can help get officers out from behind their desks and back on the beat. At the same time, criminals are exploiting AI to target victims and destroy lives. With fraud now the single most common crime people experience police need access to cutting-edge tools if they’re to stay one step ahead and protect the public.

Neil Basu QPM, former head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said:

There is a lot of concern about AI but the truth is it is here, and it’s here to stay. AI can, if used correctly, be a force for good that will help policing become not just more efficient but far more effective. That means greater safety and security for us all. The creation of PoliceAI, backed by this government, as a single accountable body for the service is exactly the way to do this responsibly.

10/06/2026
Keir Starmer – 2026 Comments on AI and Defence

The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 10 June 2026.

Britain faces a clear choice: shape the AI revolution or let it shape us.

That choice has far reaching impacts across our economy, our public services, and our national security.

So we are taking control of our future and launching a new taskforce to get cutting-edge AI into the hands of our Armed Forces safely, quickly, and responsibly.

This is Britain at the forefront of innovation: backing our servicemen and women, driving innovation and keeping our country safe.

10/06/2026