Victims of sexual offences face ‘postcode lottery’ with police, says home secretary

The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has said victims of sexual offences face “a postcode lottery” in terms of how the police will deal with their report.

“It is a postcode lottery at the moment if you are a victim in terms of the standard of service you are going to get when your allegation is being investigated by the police and whether that is going to lead to charges ultimately and hopefully a successful prosecution”, Mahmood told Trevor Phillips on Sky News.

The home secretary was responding to claims from the Institute for Government that currently up to 50 per cent of police officers currently on sexual violence and rape squads are trainees. She said the government plans to get a specialist squad in ever force.

Updated at 04.04 EST

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It is a familiar pattern in news coverage of recent months: a horrific, often sexual, crime is committed by an asylum seeker or foreign national.

A flurry of headlines and commentary follows, suggesting that men from the country, ethnic group or religion in question have a propensity to commit these types of offence. A common theme was crystallised by the Daily Mail’s Sarah Vine on Wednesday after two Afghan asylum seekers were jailed for raping a 15-year-old girl: “For too long this country has ignored the reality of what happens when men from certain cultures are let loose in our liberal democracy.”

Increasingly, politicians express outrage too, not just at the offence itself – but at the immigration status of the perpetrator. They repeat pledges to make it harder for people to enter the country illegally.

As claims spread suggesting men from certain backgrounds have a propensity to commit certain crimes, here’s why the statistics fail to provide the full picture:

The Department of Work and Pensions needs a management and cultural overhaul if it is to restore public trust after the benefits scandal which left hundreds of thousands of unpaid carers in debt, a key government adviser has warned.

Prof Liz Sayce led a scathing review of the carer’s allowance scandal, which found the DWP system and leadership failures were responsible for carers unknowingly running up huge debts, some of which resulted in serious mental illness and, possibly, criminal convictions for fraud.

Sayce told the Guardian she had been surprised by the DWP’s “lack of organisational curiosity” about the impact of the problems with carer’s allowance, as well as its reluctance to tackle the issue strategically, despite being aware of the issues for years.

Read how Sayce, who led an inquiry into department’s failures, is ‘distressed’ at carers being blamed for running up huge overpayments:

Burnham dismisses leadership challenge reports as ‘a lot of rubbish’

Andy Burnham has dismissed “a lot of rubbish in the papers today” as reports of his leadership bid swirl once more.

The Mail on Sunday has reported that Labour rebels plotting a coup against Sir Keir Starmer are close to securing a deal which would see the Manchester mayor fight a byelection to return to the Commons, where he could mount a genuine leadership challenge.

Apparently dismissing the reports in a post on X, Burnham said: “Quite a lot of rubbish in the papers today. Reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!”

Quite a lot of rubbish in the papers today. Reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!

— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) December 14, 2025Share

Updated at 05.31 EST

The prime minister has commented on “deeply distressing news” from Australia, where there have been multiple deaths after a shooting.

Sir Keir Starmer posted on X: “Deeply distressing news from Australia. The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi beach. I’m being kept updated on the developing situation.”

Starmer had earlier this morning posted a message sending his “warmest wishes” to families celebrating Chanukah.

Deeply distressing news from Australia.

The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi beach.

I’m being kept updated on the developing situation.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 14, 2025Share

Updated at 05.08 EST

Sir Keir Starmer is “not going,” Shabana Mahmood insisted as she conceded “every single person” has thought about the top job.

Asked whether she would run for the leadership if the Prime Minister stepped down, the Home Secretary told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show: “Well, Keir Starmer is not going.”

Asked again, she said: “Every single person has thought about it, of course they have, but that is not the same as plotting to overthrow a Prime Minister for God’s sake.

“The Prime Minister is getting on with doing his job. I am a member of his Government. I have a big job of my own to do, and that is the only thing I’m focused on.”

Prime minister Keir Starmer steps out from 10 Downing Street to welcome prime minister of Belgium Bart De Wever ahead of their meeting in London, United Kingdom on December 12, 2025. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty ImagesShare

Shabana Mahmood has said everyone in Labour has a “role to play” in supporting the Government, amid fresh speculation about Andy Burnham’s ambitions.

The home secretary was asked about reports that the Greater Manchester Mayor is seeking a return to the Commons, which allies of Mr Burnham have not denied.

She told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: “Well, I think that, and again, I was on your show, just saying this a few weeks ago… Labour governments don’t come along very often, and every minute that we have in government is precious.

“It’s a privilege to be in government. I’m focused on the big job that I have as home secretary, and my advice to all colleagues everywhere would be that it’s a precious privilege, and we mustn’t waste a single minute of it.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham. Photograph: Ryan Jenkinson/Getty ImagesShare

The home secretary has said the government was not “demonising” young boys in trying to tackle violence against women and girls.

“I think this is not on the young boys themselves, this is on all of us as a society”, Shabana Mahmood told Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC. “We have seen huge changes in the social media environment and the sorts of influences that are pervasive across the childhoods of both our boys and our girls in this country and it is for us as a government and a society to decide what we do about that.

“This is not on children to sort out, this is not about demonising our children, it is about protecting our children, it is about making sure we raise our children in an environment where they can be healthy, where they can be successful, where they can rise as far as their talents take them, that is the dream we have as a Labour government.”

Leading barristers have warned the justice secretary David Lammy that plans to cut a right of appeal from the magistrates court is “profoundly dangerous”.

Lammy’s proposals, which include curtailing the right to jury trial for all but the most serious offences, also include a plan to remove the automatic right to appeal against a decision made by magistrates to the crown court, in a bid to cut the backlog.

Ed Henry KC, who represented postmasters in the Post Office Horizon scandal, told the Sunday Times: “The scrapping of automatic appeals to magistrates’ courts’ decisions is profoundly dangerous … Everyone accepts that justice in the magistrates’ courts can be hit and miss.”

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy speaking during the launch of the Government’s anti-corruption strategy at home and abroad to strengthen national security and drive growth, at Mansion House in London. Photograph: Lucy North/PAShare

Shabana Mahmood said that any strikes in the NHS “undoubtedly” put lives at risk.

Asked what she thought of how doctors had dealt with the dispute, the Home Secretary told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “I think it’s undoubtedly the case that strikes in the NHS do put lives at risk.

“We want to make sure that the NHS is supported through a difficult winter and through this particular flu outbreak that we’re seeing at the moment, and I just think it’s really important that everybody realises what’s at stake here.

“I do think there’s a bit of a difference between the stance that the leadership of the resident doctors has taken and the individual views of those doctors themselves.”

She said: “These are very hard-working public servants, but they have seen the best deal of anyone in the public sector.”

Society ‘very far to the other side of what is acceptable’ in misogynist freedom of speech

The home secretary has said society is “very far to the other side of what is acceptable” in terms of freedom of speech which is misogynist.

Shabana Mahmood was asked by Trevor Phillips on Sky News whether the government was crossing a line in trying to clamp down on young men being interested in misogynist influences like Andrew Tate.

“There is always going to be a line but we are very far to the other side of what is acceptable of that line at the moment”, Mahmood said.

“It is right that we think about how we give schools and parents the tools they need to make sure they are raising boys who will grow to be healthy young men in their own right, with a good understanding of what a healthy relationship is.

“It is important that the state takes some action, because we are not willing to just sit back and accept that VAWG is just a fact of life.”

Shabana Mahmood leaving Downing Street, London. Specialist rape and sex offences investigators will be introduced to every police force as part of reforms to be introduced under the Government’s violence against women and girls (Vawg) strategy. Photograph: James Manning/PAShare

Updated at 04.19 EST

The flu outbreak is “very serious” and resident doctors should accept the deal on offer to avert strike action as the NHS is under “huge strain”, Shabana Mahmood said.

Asked how serious the outbreak was, the home secretary told Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “It is very serious, we’re already seeing the impact it’s having on hospitals across the country.

“We always plan every single year for a flu outbreak and that’s what happened this year. But of course, I think the numbers are a bit more serious this year and that’s why the Health Secretary, the Prime Minister and everyone across Government wants to make sure that the planned strikes by resident doctors do not go ahead.

“The NHS is under huge strain at the moment, and the last thing anybody needs to see are strikes in the NHS.”