YP Comment: A thankless task

AS befits the proud daughter of a retired policeman, Halifax MP Holly Lynch spoke with understandable empathy when she told Parliament: 'An assault on a police officer is an assault on society.'

This should not be a party political issue – it should shame the whole country that there are people who think it is acceptable to spit in the eyes of individual officers or throw acid in their faces. And it should also concern everyone that the ever lenient judiciary is not prepared to use the full sentencing powers already at its disposal to send out a strong message that such sickening behaviour will never be tolerated.

At a time when so many MPs are persona non grata, it’s reassuring that there are Parliamentarians willing to spend shifts on the front line to become better informed and Ms Lynch makes valid points about the time now spent by officers dealing with missing and vulnerable people, and specifically those with mental health issues.

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Even more encouraging was the cross-party consensus – Ms Lynch’s address was followed by the widely-acclaimed maiden speech by Tracy Brabin, the new Batley & Spen MP, which was praised by her normally outspoken Tory opponent Philip Davies. Indeed, the graciousness of the Shipley MP’s response was then acknowledged by Andy Burnham, the former shadow home secretary, in a rare show of unanimity which had to be seen to be believed. Let’s hope all parties work together to ensure that officers have the political support, and the physical protection, that their thankless job requires as well as the full backing of the courts. They deserve nothing less.