Police will be told to prioritise free speech in new "hate incident" guidance

Police officers in England and Wales will have to prioritise freedom of speech when considering so-called "hate incidents" under new rules.

The Home Office has produced a draft code of practice on hate incidents after a public outcry over trivial incidents being recorded.

Cases of people speaking out on politically or socially sensitive issues and being recorded by police have been logged in recent years.

For example, women with gender critical views have been reported to officers for expressing concern about trans ideology.

Christian street preachers asked to comment on sexuality or biology have also been reported by the public and blacklisted.

A hate incident is defined as a 'non-crime' incident and appears on a person's records for several years, and comes up on DBS checks.

Announcing the new guidance for forces, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: "I have been deeply concerned about reports of the police wrongly getting involved in lawful debate in this country."

"We have been clear that in recording so called non-crime hate incidents, officers must always have freedom of expression at the forefront of their minds", she added.