‘Anti-woke' chief constable won't back down on Twitter post probes
Stephen Watson has been praised for his no-nonsense approach to policing since taking up the post of chief constable at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in 2021.
However, earlier this year, the force faced intense backlash after a grandmother was visited by two plain-clothed officers for criticising Labour politicians on Facebook.
Although GMP acknowledged no crime had been committed, Helen Jones, 54, was left 'scared' after the ordeal, which prompted national outrage.
Now, Mr Watson has vowed to continue looking into similar matters.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: 'We investigate every single report of crime in Greater Manchester.
'However, if it turns out the allegation isn't valid, we will also drop it really quickly.'
Mr Watson describes himself as 'anti-woke' having previously spoken out against officers 'virtue-signalling' with rainbow badges and taking the knee.
But his comments come amid growing concerns over controversial police responses to social media posts and other trivial matters in which no charges are brought.
As a result, several forces have been accused of becoming 'Stasi-like' in their implementation of the law.
Last month, two parents from Hertfordshire revealed they were detained by six officers in front of their young daughter for complaining about their child's primary school in a WhatsApp group.
Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine were held in a cell for eight hours, despite Hertfordshire Constabulary concluding, after a five-week investigation, that there would be no further action.
Both events followed Essex Police officers arriving at the house of Allison Pearson, The Telegraph columnist, and informing her she was being investigated on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred over a post she had published and then deleted on social media 12 months earlier.
The investigation was later dropped.
Elsewhere, a mother-of-two was arrested and blocked from seeing her daughters after she confiscated their iPads.
Surrey Police held Vanessa Brown for nearly eight hours last month, before eventually concluding she had been 'entitled' to take the devices off her children.
Harry Miller, a former police officer who works with the free speech campaign group Fair Cop, said: 'The police have become agents of a state orthodoxy rather than upholders of the law.
'They repeatedly overreach and they seem to have taken it upon themselves to become social engineers.
'That is not their role.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
21 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Anas Sarwar 'cannot win Holyrood election without Labour ending oil licence ban' warns union boss
One of the UK's leading trade union chiefs has warned Keir Starmer's ban on new oil and gas developments is halting Anas Sarwar's chances of becoming first minister. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish Labour will not win next year's Holyrood election if the party does not reverse its opposition to new oil and gas, one of the UK's top union chiefs has warned. Gary Smith, the general secretary of the GMB union, has told Anas Sarwar he will not become the next first minister without his party at Westminster having a change of heart on its pledge to ban new North Sea oil and gas licences. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An oil platform standing amongst other rigs. PIC: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire The UK government has pointed to scientific evidence that new oil and gas licences are not consistent with global efforts to tackle the climate crisis and that continuing to drill for oil and gas will do nothing to cut energy bills. But the vow has left Labour open to criticism over jobs and claims that Britain will have to import fuels from overseas. Speaking to the New Statesman, Mr Smith starkly warned that 'on the current policies, I don't believe that Labour can win in Scotland'. READ MORE: Rosebank and other North Sea oil and gas fields could be given green light under new guidelines Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'People don't get that energy is an emotional issue in Scotland. We went hundreds of miles out in this inhospitable sea and built this incredible, groundbreaking energy infrastructure. Labour 'will need to rethink' oil field ban 'If you're on the west coast of Scotland, most people of a certain age have a drop of oil from Sullom Voe because there are so many families who were involved in building that project when they landed the oil in Shetland. 'This was an emotional story about Scotland. It's important to its sense of self and the economy, and I don't think people have really got that.' The GMB's Gary Smith (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA) Mr Smith has insisted that 'they will have to rethink' the position on oil and gas 'because the consequences in terms of energy prices, in terms of national security, in terms of the economy and jobs, are so profound'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'What we should be doing is taking a public stake in what is left of the oil and gas sector and using the profits for that sector, or part of them, to invest in a new green future. 'We should be talking about North Sea Two, how we're going to collaborate with Norway – not just decarbonising the North Sea, but what comes next. Oil and gas is not the enemy: it's actually the gateway to whatever comes next, and we've got to stop seeing it as a threat.' Mr Smith attacked the UK's industrial strategy and net zero policies, claiming that 'for too long, we were exporting jobs and importing virtue, so we closed down British industry'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Squandered opportunities' He added: 'That was great for emissions, not great for communities. Our notional emissions have fallen but all we've done is export jobs and industry to China, where they burn coal to produce the goods we then import on diesel-burning barges and ships – and that includes the vast bulk of all renewables industry.' Pressed by The Scotsman over his position on oil and gas, Mr Sarwar said there 'have been too many squandered opportunities', adding that 'all the big promises on green jobs have failed to materialise'. Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar (Photo by Jeff) | Getty Images The Scottish Labour leader added: 'We've got to get the balance right, which is recognising oil and gas has got a significant role to play for decades to come, making sure we have a policy around oil fields that's right.' Mr Sarwar said that the UK government needs to have 'a fiscal regime that attracts investment but also maximises potential tax receipts for the Treasury'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The union concerns come as the UK government announces a £900,000 transition training fund that will help around 200 Aberdeen oil and gas workers to move into the clean energy sector. The programme is open to current and former oil and gas workers who live in or are employed in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, and are interested in moving into roles within clean energy. Successful applicants will receive careers advice and funding towards training courses - supporting local people into opportunities in sectors such as offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage, which could include roles in welding, electrical engineering and construction. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fund to help green jobs transition It is hoped that up to 100,000 direct and indirect jobs could be supported by the offshore wind sector across the UK by 2030. UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks, said: 'Aberdeen has been the energy capital of Britain for decades and while oil and gas will be with us for decades to come, we are determined to make sure that workers are supported to access the thousands of jobs in industries such as offshore wind and carbon capture. Energy Minister Michael Shanks with Cerulean Winds' alliance partners on a tour of the Port of Ardersier near Inverness hearing about the Aspen floating windfarm which will create over 1,000 jobs. | Contributed 'This funding will help deliver a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea, unlocking the full potential of renewable energy and reaping the economic benefits from the skills and experiences of Aberdeen's workforce.' The fund will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland and has been supported by an additional £40,000 from the Scottish Government. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad SNP Climate Action and Energy Minister, Gillian Martin, said: 'The North East has long been a titan in the oil and gas industry and the valuable expertise within our workforce must be at the heart of the transition to new fuels and sustainable energy. SNP Energy Secretary Gillian Martin | PA 'I am determined to ensure a positive impact and powerful legacy of Scotland's clean energy revolution which benefits communities across the North East of the country.' But Scottish Conservative energy and net zero spokesperson, Douglas Lumsden, claimed the SNP and Labour 'boasting about this scheme' was "frankly embarrassing'. He added: 'This 'support' for 200 workers amounts to a drop in the ocean when compared to the projected 400 jobs a fortnight being lost thanks to their decimation of the oil and gas sector. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Telegraph
22 minutes ago
- Telegraph
‘Complete bunkum': Lord Lilley dismantles claims the ECHR reflects UK values
Peter Lilley, the former cabinet minister, has called for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), arguing its influence has undermined parliamentary sovereignty. 'Attlee was extremely reluctant to sign up,' Lilley said, 'and only did so on condition that the jurisdiction of the court it created didn't apply in the UK.' He claims the convention has since evolved into 'a transfer of the power to make laws and make political judgments from parliament to the courts'. While some Conservatives remain divided over the ECHR's role, Labour has not fared any better in the past. ' Blair himself asked John Reid, his Home Secretary, I think Blunkett, another Home Secretary to look into ways of overriding it or leaving bits of it. So, the Labour Party has found it as problematic as the Conservatives have when they've been in power,' he said. On Kemi Badenoch's leadership, Lilley offered a measured endorsement, praising her approach to evidence-based policy and democratic principle. 'She does in some ways [remind me of Thatcher],' he said, recounting her 'pure common sense' during their work together. Lilley warned against internal manoeuvring, stating clearly: 'If [opponents] are manoeuvring to displace her… it's not good for the party and therefore it's not good for the country.'
Glasgow Times
23 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
'This is not the Glasgow residents deserve'
Within the Greater Pollok ward, we see the impact of the cuts that have been made since 2012 with overgrown grass verges, weeds growing out of the edge of pavements, litter, rats in overflowing bin areas, potholes, and blocked gullies. Walk through Glasgow and the decline is impossible to miss – litter-strewn streets, overflowing bins, fly-tipping, and potholes so bad they've earned us the title of the "pothole capital of the UK." With over 9,000 open pothole reports, Glasgow leads the pack in Scotland – and repairs are taking months, if they happen at all. This isn't a national issue – it's a local one. Under the SNP's watch, street cleansing staff numbers plunged from 485 in 2019 to just 383 by 2023. Even the city's parks teams dropped from 305 to 267. Yes, there has been a recent recruitment drive ahead of the Commonwealth Games, but we're still well below what is required and expected for a city of our size. You can't slash essential staff and expect the streets to stay clean. It's like turning off fire engines and hoping there'll be no fires. Meanwhile, rat sightings in Glasgow have soared – rising from 5,348 in 2018/19 to 7,948 in 2022/23 – a staggering 46% increase. According to the GMB union, rat sightings have trebled over the last decade and are now as common as pigeons. This is not the Glasgow residents deserve. It's not just about aesthetics – it's about pride, health, and safety. With pothole-ridden roads, missed bin collections, and vermin on the rise, people feel ignored. And too often, this SNP City Administration has ignored them. Glasgow Labour believes we must get back to basics. That means prioritising core services: clean streets, safe roads, and responsive local teams. We must reinvest in frontline workers, strengthen waste collection, tackle fly-tipping, and ensure residents' complaints aren't just logged – but acted on. We also believe in partnership with our communities. Across the city, community organisations and volunteers are stepping in where the Council has failed – organising clean-ups, maintaining parks, and reporting fly-tipping. They shouldn't have to. But their efforts show what's possible when people are empowered and supported. A Labour-led council would value that community spirit – not take it for granted. We'd put it at the heart of service delivery, backing it with staff, resources, and a proper plan. The SNP City Administration in Glasgow has had years to get this right. Instead, we've seen cut after cut, while our neighbourhoods fall further into neglect. It doesn't have to be this way. Glasgow is a city of pride, resilience, and determination. But that spirit isn't being matched by the political leadership at the top of the Council. We need action. A commitment to clean, safe streets – not just PR spin and empty rhetoric, which Glaswegians have become all too familiar with since 2017. It's time to stop settling for failure. It's time to clean up Glasgow – for good.
