Clegg and May form unlikely alliance in battle with Cameron over crackdown on use of stop and search powers

  • Young black men 7 times more likely to be stopped than a white person
  • Home Secretary Theresa May fears damage to community relations
  • 1.2 million searches each year but only 107,000 resulted in arrests
  • Downing Street fears reining in powers will look soft on crime

By Matt Chorley, MailOnline Political Editor

Published: 10:57 EST, 11 February 2014 | Updated: 11:59 EST, 11 February 2014


Hundreds of thousands of police hours are being wasted stopping and searching people who have done nothing wrong but David Cameron is refusing to scrap them.

In a rare cross-coalition alliance, Lib Dem Nick Clegg has joined forces with Home Secretary Theresa May in a battle with the Prime Minister over reforms to the controversial powers.

Mr Clegg has signed off on the policy but Downing Street fears the reforms will risk making the Tories look soft on crime.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has signed off the reforms which are being blocked by Downing Street
Home Secretary Theresa May has warned hundreds of thousands of hours of police time is being wasted

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Home Secretary Theresa May have put their differences to one side to agree to make the use of stop and search more transparent and accountable

David Cameron, pictured with Chief Superintendent Caroline Peters at Taunton Command Centre today, has suggested that legislation on reforming stop and search powers might not be needed at all

David Cameron, pictured with Chief Superintendent Caroline Peters at Taunton Command Centre today, has suggested that legislation on reforming stop and search powers might not be needed at all

Mr Clegg has repeatedly clashed with Mrs May on major areas of policy, including the Snooper’s Charter plan to keep communications records, capping immigration and go home ad vans.

But the duo have put their differences to one side to demand changes to the use of stop and search, to limit the use of the powers and impose heavier punishments on officers who break the law.

Official statistics show that, if someone is from a black or minority ethnic background, they are up to seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than if they are white.

Mrs May has warned the excessive use of stop and search is a ‘dreadful waste of police time’ and fears young black men being disproportionately targeted risks undermining public confidence in the police.

Mr Clegg has also warned they risk increasing community tensions.

A senior Lib Dem source told MailOnline: ‘We're completely at one with Theresa May on this. We genuinely don't know why Number 10 are blocking it.

‘We've believed in reforming stop and search for some time to make it more transparent and accountable.’

Mr Clegg, who chairs the Home Affairs Cabinet Committee, is understood to have signed off the reforms but Downing Street has refused to allow them to go ahead.

If someone is from a black or minority ethnic background, they are up to seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than if they are white

If someone is from a black or minority ethnic background, they are up to seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than if they are white

The government was due to respond to a consultation on reining in the powers by the end of last year.

Three weeks ago the Home Office restated the need for changes, insisting: ‘Nobody should ever be stopped just on the basis of their skin colour or ethnicity.

‘The government supports the ability of police officers to stop and search suspects, but it must be applied fairly and in a way which builds community confidence.’

But Mr Cameron suggested legislation might never see the light of day.

He said: ‘Stop-and-search does need reform. If it is necessary to legislate, we will legislate; if it is not, we will not.

‘What is really important is that stop-and-search is used properly, and that we do not add to the burdens of the police.’