The News Agents The train stabbings: Could it have been prevented by stop and search?
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Nov 3, 2025 Neil Basu, former head of counter-terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, shares insights on the recent train stabbings and the controversial call for increased stop-and-search policies. He discusses the limitations of such measures and their potential to alienate communities. Recalling his own experiences with stop and search, Basu highlights issues of discrimination and institutional racism within policing. The conversation also touches on the need for sustainable solutions rather than quick political fixes, alongside a humorous critique of Elon Musk's wild claims about rural England.
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Knee-Jerk Policy After Shocking Crimes
- Politicians rush to simple policing fixes after high-profile crimes even when solutions are complex.
- Emily Maitlis warns stop and search can't be sensibly applied without clear grounds or it risks targeting minorities.
Stop And Search Claims Face Practical Questions
- Chris Philp argues for more stop and search and claims disproportionality vanishes when comparing to offending population.
- Hosts challenge how officers would lawfully encounter and stop someone like the Cambridge suspect.
Targeted Policing Beats Mass Stop Searches
- Neil Basu separates knife crime policy from emotional reactions to atrocities and cautions against simple fixes.
- He says stop and search must be targeted and forensic to work, not massively inflated.
