Member

The noble Lord has drawn the short straw today in moving this amendment. I do not think that his heart is in this one, because removing the police from the duty would undermine confidence in policing and undermine operational effectiveness. I am sure that that is not what the noble Lord wants, so I am pleased that he will not press the amendment. It is a positive move from His Majesty’s loyal Opposition not to press it, because I would hate for them to walk through the Lobby to vote down something that is an integral part of our society and makes it cohesive and supportive, as it should be. I hope that the noble Lord will withdraw his amendment and reflect on why he brought it forward in the first place.