MP calls for ‘psychological testing’ of police to tackle gender violence

A Labour MP has called for police officers to be psychologically tested as part of tackling violence against women and girls.

Dawn Butler , MP for Brent East, referred to the murder of Sarah Everard by off-duty police constable Wayne Couzens and the case of two Met police officers who were jailed for taking and sharing photos of sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman.

On Tuesday during the King’s Speech debate on immigration and home affairs, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government would “increase standards in policing” and introduce “mandatory vetting standards across forces”.

Ms Butler intervened asking: “On the point of mandatory vetting, does (Ms Cooper) also agree with me that we should have psychological testing as well for the police?

“Some of the incidents that have been brought to light like the kidnapping and killing of Sarah Everard, taking the pictures of Bibaa and Nicole in Brent is absolutely appalling and can only be done by people who have lost compassion in their job.”

Ms Cooper replied: “(Ms Butler) makes an important point here because some of this is about the vetting standards before people ever are appointed as police officers, but some of it is also about the culture that can operate within forces or within small groups within forces that also always needs to be challenged and needs to be challenged by leadership as well.

“We do want to see national vetting standards. Let’s be clear. There are police officers every day of the week who are doing an incredible job to keep all of us safe, also showing immense bravery.”

She added: “But those brave officers are also being badly let down, just as communities are being badly let down when officers fail to meet those standards or when they abuse the power they have.”

Ms Cooper referred to the Government’s “unprecedented ambition” to half serious violent crime in 10 years.

She said: “Halving serious violence means halving knife crime and halving violence against women and girls over the next 10 years.

“And I know that will be extremely difficult, but I just ask everyone to be part of it. Because it is so important and all of us should be trying to keep people safe.”

Beginning his contributions on Tuesday, the shadow home secretary James Cleverly praised the appointment of Jess Phillips , MP for Birmingham Yardley, as a Home Office minister.

He said: “I do think it is a very good appointment and she is very well suited to her role.

“She knows that tackling violence against women and girls was a priority for me and we shared the stage previously at events in this House on that subject, and I genuinely look forward to working with her and contributing in any way that I can to her success in this incredibly important area of public policy.

“She has highlighted some of the crucial work that this place can do in bringing to the attention of the country and the wider world to the plight that too many women still feel.”

Mr Cleverly added: “I was disgusted to see how (Ms Phillips) and others, so many others, mostly female colleagues and candidates, were treated during this General Election campaign.”

DUP MP for Strangford Jim Shannon also intervened in the debate to see he was greatly concerned about the level of violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland.

He said: “I believe what (Ms Cooper) is putting forward here today can be for the betterment for all of us in this United Kingdom and in particular for Northern Ireland. It’s really important that my constituents, the ladies and girls across Northern Ireland feel safe because at this moment they don’t.”

Ms Cooper replied: “This is about all of us and I know that Northern Ireland has the highest levels of domestic abuse murders as well. So this is immensely serious.”

The Liberal Democrats’ women spokeswoman has called on the Government to end a “backlog in the courts” and to improve prison capacity so courts cannot deny victims of violence against women and girls “the justice they deserve”.

Christine Jardine said: “While I am confident in the new Government’s determination to tackle violence against women and girls, I would urge that they continue the same cross-party approach which proved so successful with the Domestic Abuse Act – working together on that was key and it can be again in the Crime and Policing Bill and the Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill.”