Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched a scathing critique of his successor, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of prioritizing “non-crime hate incidents” (NCHIs) over tackling real-world crime. Writing in The Daily Mail, Johnson called for Starmer to instruct police forces to abandon investigations into online speech and focus on traditional policing to restore public safety.
Johnson’s remarks come in the wake of Essex police investigating journalist Allison Pearson over a now-deleted tweet, reportedly tied to discussions about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Describing the investigation as “ludicrous” and likening it to practices in Cold War-era dictatorships, Johnson claimed that pursuing NCHIs stifles free speech and distracts police from addressing crimes such as burglary and gang activity.
While Pearson’s case is actually being treated as an actual speech crime, rather than an NCHI, the former prime minister criticized Starmer for allegedly endorsing the continuation of NCHIs and fostering a “woke Securitate” atmosphere. Johnson argued that the government’s focus on monitoring online speech damages Britain’s global reputation curtails academic freedom, and harms the innovation-driven economy.
However, Johnson’s critique may spark discussion about his own tenure. NCHIs gained prominence under his leadership, with police adopting guidelines that included recording incidents based on perceived offense. Johnson did little to stop it. While Johnson now advocates abolishing NCHIs, many argue he bears responsibility for their institutional entrenchment.
The article also saw Johnson draw a contrast between Britain and regimes like Russia, where press freedoms and dissent are more openly and actively suppressed. Nonetheless, he warned that current trends risk eroding Britain’s standing as a once-bastion of free expression.
