London – July 5, 2026 – A damning report set for release Monday will call for a "fundamental overhaul" of police leadership in England and Wales, with former top officials warning the service is plagued by ethical failures, low morale, and a culture of risk aversion. Lord David Blunkett, a former Labour home secretary, told the BBC that the police service "is not good enough" and needs an "ethical reset" to restore public trust.
Speaking exclusively ahead of the report's publication, Blunkett, who co-authored the review with former Conservative policing minister Lord Peter Herbert, highlighted alarming statistics: eight current or former chief constables across the nation's 43 police forces are under disciplinary action or awaiting results. "At the moment, the morale and motivation of many of those working in the service needs a reset," Blunkett said on the BBC's "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg." "A very large number of those at senior level have been or are under investigation."
The review, commissioned by the College of Policing, comes amid declining public confidence in law enforcement. None of the 43 forces earned an "outstanding" leadership grade in the most recent inspection round, with nearly a third rated as needing improvement and two deemed inadequate. The report will recommend "root and branch modernisation" of recruitment, development, and internal monitoring processes to address these systemic weaknesses.
Blunkett also addressed the politically charged debate over "two-tier policing"—a term used by critics like Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who alleged bias in favor of ethnic minorities following the murder of teenager Henry Nowak. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected such claims, calling them an exploitation of tragedy. The report, however, focuses on broader challenges: scarce resources, excessive paperwork, and leadership cultures that leave officers "demotivated" and overly cautious. With the document's release imminent, the call for an ethical reset signals a pivotal moment for British policing, demanding immediate action to rebuild a beleaguered institution.