News / Carla Denyer
Denyer backs bill to reduce deaths in police custody
On Monday October 21 the Green Party MP for Bristol Central introduced a private member’s bill in the House of Commons which would allow for more scrutiny on deaths in state custody.
State-related deaths include deaths in prison and police custody as well as deaths in mental health facilities and following public disasters like Hillsborough.
Denyer’s proposed bill would create an independent public body in charge of analysing and following up on investigations and recommendations following state-related deaths, including inquests, official reviews and public inquiries.
is needed now More than ever
The bill is the result of the ‘No More Deaths’ campaign by INQUEST, a national charity focussed on preventing state-related deaths and supporting bereaved families.
In a statement on October 23 Denyer said: “When someone dies after contact with the state, hundreds of vital recommendations are made following inquests and inquiries.
“But, unbelievably, it is not ANYONE’S job to collate these recommendations, analyse them for patterns, and make sure they get acted on.
“So it doesn’t happen.
“Public and private bodies have a duty to keep us safe from harm and protect our lives, but every year hundreds of people die preventable state related deaths.
“The lack of any mechanism for learning from past tragedies is surely a big part of this. Let’s fix this.”
There have been 1906 deaths in police custody since 1990, according to INQUEST.
On the day Carla Denyer presented the bill, a British police officer was acquitted of the murder of Chris Kaba.
Martyn Blake shot the 23-year-old, who was unarmed, in London in September 2022.
Protesters gathered outside the Old Bailey following the verdict.
Soon after Kaba was killed in 2022, a billboard appeared in St Werburgh’s with the slogan #JusticeforChris – photo: Mia Vines Booth
As well as introducing a private member’s bill on state-related deaths, this week Denyer also announced she now has a seat on the Parliamentary Renters’ Rights Bill Committee.
This means she will play a role in further developing the bill before it passes through the House of Lords, receives Royal Assent and ultimately becomes law.
The Renter’s Rights Bill forms part of Labour’s manifesto commitment to ‘overhaul’ the private rented sector.
In a Parliamentary debate on October 9, Denyer described the bill as “welcome and important”.
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Main photo: Rob Browne
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