Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to Home Office Minister Nick Hurd MP admitting that the Government’s approach to Brexit will undermine national security, reduce the effectiveness of the security services and reduce access to EU security databases, said:

“The Tories have been reckless and are endangering our policing and security arrangements. These negotiations are failing to protect national security and our capacity to tackle cross boarder crime in a post-Brexit Britain.

“Currently this country has real-time access to the Europol database, passenger name recognition and numerous other vital tools for modern policing and the fight against international crime. The Tories now admit they have no plans in place to save any of this.

“Terrorism, cyber-attacks and wars do not stop at borders. And the safety and security of British citizens should not be the victim of deepening chaos around Brexit.

“Labour in government will work with the EU on security post-Brexit as a matter of urgency, to ensure continued cooperation in tackling areas such as organised crime, modern slavery, financial crime and money laundering.”

Notes to Editors

Giving oral evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Minister for Policing and Fire Nick Hurd said:

“We will lose information, we will lose cooperation, we will lose capability. In the specific case of the European Arrest Warrant we will be going back to 2004 … We have some fall-back mechanisms which are tried and test, but they are less effective, and less efficient. It would be a step back”.