In a fireside chat hosted by Nicky Park, Women's Design and Engagement Lead for HMPPS's commissioned rehabilitation service, Rt Hon Lord David Blunkett discussed the findings emerging from the Police Leadership Commission review, which he has spent nine months chairing.
Nicky opened by asking Lord Blunkett to set out the central challenge the review is addressing. He placed it firmly in the context of what he called a "quite toxic" public debate about trust in policing, sharpened by recent events including the murder of Henry Novak. Lord Blunkett said the commission - which combines people with policing experience, academics and outside experts - has gathered evidence through roundtables, focus groups, visits and a survey of 2,000 sergeants and inspectors conducted with the Police Foundation.
A consistent theme has emerged: low morale, inconsistent training, weak development processes, and poor communication between ranks - from Constable up to Chief Officer level. Lord Blunkett said the review will look at how officers build networks across the service and beyond it, so people entering leadership roles have a broader understanding of the pressures others face. He noted a striking statistic: forces typically get only two applicants, on average, for Chief Constable roles.
Nicky picked up on a wider theme running through the day's sessions - that criminal justice agencies too often fail to work together. Lord Blunkett agreed this will be reflected in the review, which will look at how policing connects with probation, prisons and rehabilitation as restructuring proceeds.
Asked about psychological safety, Lord Blunkett said the review is looking at two forms of "safe space": safety for the public in their communities, and safety within the service for officers to raise concerns with their superiors without fear. He cited the Charing Cross case highlighted by the BBC as an example of a workplace that failed on both counts. On whether a formal "licence to lead" is being considered, Lord Blunkett said no - the commission wants any competency framework to avoid becoming a bureaucratic box-ticking exercise, drawing a comparison with his wife's experience of GP revalidation.
On accountability, Lord Blunkett argued for a clearer line between operational policing decisions and wider policy, warning against a system where "operational" becomes a shield used to avoid scrutiny, while also cautioning against politicians moving the goalposts whenever something goes wrong. He acknowledged policing is more transparent than ever - citing body-worn cameras - but said this has, paradoxically, fuelled greater public suspicion rather than less.
Lord Blunkett closed by turning his fire on the wider system, describing the administration of the court system - which sat in his old department as Home Secretary - as "totally dysfunctional," recalling his own experience of jury service and the delays that come from a hierarchy that doesn't listen to the people running it day to day. His challenge to the room: everyone with a hand in running these systems could make them work better, if leadership created the space to listen.
Key Takeaways
The Police Leadership Commission's final report was still being drafted at the time of the session, but the direction of travel is clear: expect recommendations focused on cross-service networks, a lighter-touch competency framework rather than new bureaucracy, and a stronger emphasis on giving frontline staff genuine permission to challenge upwards.
Update: the Report was published on 6th July 2026 and can be found online here: https://www.college.police.uk/police-leadership-commission/police-leadership-commission-report
Jessica Kimbell, GovNet
