As Europe’s migration policy shifts to the right—from tougher EU rules to Germany’s plans for deportations and outsourcing asylum processing to third countries—the UK is also changing course. New police guidelines now allow disclosure of a suspect’s ethnicity and immigration status in high-profile cases if it helps protect public safety and counter misinformation.
The UK’s National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing have issued new guidance advising forces to disclose the ethnicity and immigration status of suspects in high-profile or sensitive cases—provided it serves “policing purposes.”
Senior officers explain that such information may be released to protect public safety, in cases of significant public interest, or when misinformation is spreading. The move follows controversy over allegations that police “hid” the background of two men accused of raping a child.
The decision has been welcomed by a former senior prosecutor, who said it would help quash rumors and false narratives on social media. Critics, however, warn it risks shifting the focus from the causes of violence against women and girls—such as misogyny—to ethnic factors. Last week, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called for police to reveal the ethnicity of suspects.
The NPCC emphasized that the publication of such information in serious cases is already encouraged, but the final decision will rest with individual units, taking into account legal and ethical considerations. According to the guidance, the question of disclosing migration status will be decided by the Home Office "in light of all circumstances."
A separate report noted that the police’s refusal to release basic information about an offender in Southport last summer led to “dangerous fabrications” and triggered unrest. As Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, pointed out, the authorities should have provided more accurate details about the arrest of Axel Rudakubana on July 29 last year—far-right groups falsely claimed that he was a Muslim and an asylum seeker.
Sam de Reya, Deputy Chief Constable overseeing NPCC communications, stressed: "We saw last summer, and in a number of recent high-profile cases, the serious consequences that can follow from the information police release into the public domain. In an era of rapid rumor-spreading on social media, we have a duty to ensure accurate and timely communication."
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Former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England Nazir Afzal cautiously welcomed the decision: "Trust is so low that greater transparency is a good thing. But the approach should be tailored to each case."
The impetus for updating the rules came from an incident in Warwickshire: after two Afghans were charged with assaulting a 12-year-old girl, the Reform UK party claimed that police had withheld the fact that they were asylum seekers. The July 22 incident sparked a political scandal, with Reform leader Nigel Farage accusing the police of concealing information. Ahmad Mulakil has been charged with rape, while Mohammad Kabir faces charges of abduction and strangulation.