The government needs to look at whether police are “getting the balance right”, Wes Streeting has said, after the arrest of the co-writer of Father Ted over social media posts.
Graham Linehan, who also created the Black Books and The IT Crowd comedies, said on Tuesday he was arrested at Heathrow Airport over posts on X sharing his views on trans rights.
The health secretary told Sky News Breakfast with Wilfred Frost that he can’t comment on the specifics of the case, as operational police decisions are “rightly independent of politicians”.
However, Mr Streeting said more generally that the government would rather see “police on the streets rather than policing tweets”.
The cabinet member added: “It’s the easiest thing in the world for people to criticise the police, but they are enforcing laws that parliament has passed and asked them to enforce.
“So if we haven’t got the balance right, as Parliament over successive governments, that is something that we need to look at because the Home Secretary is very clear about what her priorities are”.
He said that those priorities are neighbourhood policing and keeping borders safe.
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Writing on Substack, Lineham said that after flying into the UK from Arizona, he was detained by five armed officers at Heathrow Airport and put in a cell before being questioned over posts published on X in April.
He added that officials became concerned for his health after taking his blood pressure, and he was taken to hospital.
The arrest has drawn criticism from opposition politicians.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said the incident was “ridiculous and a complete waste of police time”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would raise the case when he gives evidence to the House Judiciary Committee in Washington on free speech in the UK during a hearing on Wednesday, The Sun reported.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has regularly shared her views on trans rights on social media, also waded into the row, posting on X: “What the f*** has the UK become? This is totalitarianism. Utterly deplorable.”
Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said it was an operational matter for the police when asked about the arrest yesterday.
He added: “The prime minister and the home secretary have been clear about where their priorities for crime and policing are, and that’s tackling anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, street crime, as well as reducing serious violent crimes like knife crime and violence against women”.
Asked whether the government agreed with the Harry Potter author’s claim that the UK was now a “totalitarian” state, the spokesman said: “No.”
A Met Police spokeswoman confirmed an arrest was made at Heathrow on Monday but did not identify Linehan.
In a statement, the force said: “On Monday 1 September at 1pm officers arrested a man at Heathrow Airport after he arrived on an inbound American Airlines flight.
“The man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence. This is in relation to posts on X.
“After being taken to police custody, officers became concerned for his health and he was taken to hospital. His condition is neither life-threatening nor life-changing.
“He has now been bailed pending further investigation.”
