Sir Oliver Dowden has recently spoken out against excessive arrests for ‘offensive’ online posts, raising concerns about police priorities and the erosion of freedom of speech.

This intervention comes in the wake of reports that every police force in the country has teams of officers dedicated to monitoring social media and that police make 30 arrests a day for offensive online communications. High-profile cases include those of Telegraph journalist Allison Pearson, investigated for an offensive tweet about pro-Palestine protestors, Lucy Connolly, a childminder sentenced to 31-months for a tweet reacting to the Southport stabbings, and, in Sir Oliver’s constituency of Hertsmere, local Councillor Maxie Allen, who, along with his partner, was arrested for making complaints about his children’s school. Sir Oliver has repeatedly raised concerns about this issue in Parliament, with police authorities, and in national media, and has called for fair expression to be protected and policing priorities to be reassessed accordingly.

Further to these efforts, earlier this month, Sir Oliver submitted written parliamentary questions to the Home Office requesting further details on the policing of social media and related arrest statistics. In a response published last week, Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention, Diana Johnson declined to answer these questions, stating that “the requested data is not centrally held”.

Sir Oliver has voiced his frustration with this, saying “I am incredibly disappointed by the Home Office’s lack of response to my questions on the policing of social media. 

Excessive arrests for ‘offensive’ online posts constitute both a significant infringement on freedom of speech and a fundamental waste of resources. Fair expression should never be punished, and the police should be solving real crimes and focusing on the public’s actual concerns, like shoplifting, violent and antisocial behaviour, and burglaries.

I have raised this issue repeatedly, both in Parliament and with police authorities, and will continue to do so until changes are made.”