The Conservative Party has promised a major expansion of police powers. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp announced the plan. He wants to treble the use of stop and search. This stop and search pledge targets high crime areas. He also promised a strict new annual cap on immigration. Furthermore, he committed to recruiting ten thousand new police officers. These proposals formed the core of his conference speech.
Philp addressed party members in Manchester. He focused strongly on law and order issues. Also, he argued that current rules hinder police effectiveness. He specifically criticized limits on stop and search. He called the existing restrictions “insane.” For example, he mentioned the smell of cannabis. He also cited people wearing menacing masks. He said these factors alone should justify a search.
Consequently, Philp promised significant legal changes. He wants a single suspicion indicator to be sufficient. He plans to introduce “routine stop and search” in hotspots. This stop and search policy would not require suspicion. Therefore, officers could search anyone in designated zones. The party believes this aggressive stop and search approach will save lives. They say it will remove more knives from streets.
However, stop and search is a controversial tactic. Critics point to evidence of racial disparity. In 2014, Theresa May tightened the rules. She was the Home Secretary at the time. She stated that misuse was an “affront to justice.” Later, Sajid Javid reversed some restrictions in 2019. Then in 2022, a police watchdog issued recommendations. It urged forces to address disproportionate use on ethnic minorities.
Meanwhile, Philp also outlined sweeping immigration plans. He vowed to ensure “sustained negative net migration.” This means more people would leave than arrive. He proposed a binding annual cap. Parliament would vote on this cap every year. He declared an end to “mass, low-skill migration.” He said some migrants must leave when their visas expire. Specifically, those not working or on low wages would not stay.
Additionally, Philp linked immigration to the welfare system. He stated that non-citizens should not expect benefits. He said this protects taxpayers. The Conservatives have a long-standing goal to cut migration. They repeatedly missed their own targets in government. The latest net migration figure was 690,100. This number covers the year to June 2024.
On policing, the extra 10,000 officers would cost £800 million yearly. The shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, would fund this. He would use savings from his own proposed spending reforms. The Conservatives hope these policies will contrast them with Labour. Philp asserted his party has the courage to act. He claimed the opposition does not share this resolve. The next general election will test this political strategy.
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