A former Metropolitan Police officer has warned Britain’s police forces are being "crippled by culture wars" as diversity drives and bureaucracy take "precedence over catching criminals".
Peter Bleksley, who served in the Met for 20 years, spoke with GB News about what he describes as the force’s “obsession” with inclusion initiatives, which he says has come at the expense of delivering the fundamentals of law enforcement.
His comments come after it was revealed the Met will soon spend £5.2million a year employing 64 staff in its Culture, Diversity and Inclusion unit, a figure that excludes dozens of other roles linked to equality and inclusion across the force.
“The police are now spending millions upon millions on DEI (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion) while shedding officer jobs", he told the People's Channel.
Peter Bleksley says police are 'obsessed' with diversity | GB News"It begs the question, what are their priorities? Is it preventing crime, catching offenders, or is it bowing to the tyranny of the DEI brigade?”
Mr Bleksley warned that the issue extends beyond policing, arguing that the Labour Government and the wider civil service have embraced the idea that DEI initiatives are a necessity.
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“Nobody seems to apply any common sense anymore,” he said.
“If people were treated fairly and robustly when they got things wrong, we wouldn’t need this endless bureaucracy.”
The Met currently faces a £260 million funding gap and plans to axe 1,700 officers and staff, despite receiving additional money from City Hall and the Home Office.
Mr Bleksley said public trust in the force has plummeted as a result of “misplaced priorities”.
Scotland Yard is advertising for two 'Life Events Delivery Manager' positions
“You’ve got officers working from home, others who don’t make an arrest in an entire year and meanwhile crime is rampant,” he said.
“It’s no wonder the public has lost confidence. The police have tied themselves in knots when there was never any need to.”
Scotland Yard is advertising for two “Life Events Delivery Manager” positions, each paying £47,000 a year.
One role will support staff in achieving a better work-life balance for parents, while the other focuses on assisting employees with disabilities and neurodivergent conditions.
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Both positions are based in Kilburn, where the local police station closed its front counter to the public in 2017.
William Yarwood, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, has urged the Met to "scrap the gimmicks and get back to basics".
He added: “It’s staggering that while Londoners are seeing stations close and frontline police services cut, the Met is still finding millions to fund a sprawling diversity bureaucracy.
“Taxpayers expect bobbies on the beat, not endless networks, awareness weeks, and ‘life event’ managers.”
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