Police

It emerged last week that the Tories are once again, for the second general election in a row, set to face a police inquiry into illegal behaviour surrounding their election campaigning. These continuous scandals and flouting of the law illustrate the deep underlying fragilities of a Conservative Party facing crisis and decline.

Rashan Charles, a 20-year old black man, died on Saturday after being thrown to the ground and left unable to breathe by police on Kingsland Road in Dalston, London. This is yet another example of police violence resulting in a tragic and unnecessary death. We demand justice for Rash.

A recent report shows that public trust in the police has been severely shaken by the long list of scandals that have been revealed in recent months. Ben Gliniecki comments on the remarkable frankness with which the establishment has admitted the loss of public confidence in the police. This reflects the weakness of the ruling class at a time when, more than ever, they require a strong state to attack workers taking action against austerity.

The recently announced report on Metropolitan police corruption is nothing more than a confirmation of what the family of Stephen Lawrence – the black teen stabbed to death in a 1993 racist attack in South East London – had suspected since the days following his murder. Such reports will only serve to further undermine the authority of the police and the Establishment at a time of deep capitalist crisis.

The crisis of capitalism has led to cuts across the board. The Tory-led Coalition have, despite their desires, been forces to attack the conditions of the police – a vital pillar of the capitalist state – leading to tensions between the police and government. The consciousness of rank and file police officers has begun to change, leading to demonstrations of the Police Federation and demands for the right to unionise and strike. Richard Baywood asks what attitude should Marxists take towards such developments?