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A former counter-terrorism officer, Paul Birch, has resigned from the Metropolitan Police over what he calls the force's obsession with political correctness, linking it to mishandling of a fatal stabbing case in December 2023. the incident, which involved the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, has sparked national outrage and has been cited by Birch as an example of the force's skewed priorities.

Birch, a veteran counter-terrorism expert with 24 years of service and numerous commendations, decided to leave after a mandatory leadership course on anti-racism that he found deeply troubling. during a session on British history, instructors told officers that Caribbean migrants had been forcibly rounded up and marched aboard the Empire Windrush before being transported to Britain, a claim Birch vehemently disputes.

Birch was the only officer in the room to challenge the instructors, and he believes that this incident exemplifies a broader trend within British policing. He contends that this ideological transformation is not limited to the Metropolitan Police but has spread to forces across the country.

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Birch links the force's ideological capture directly to the tragic case of Henry Nowak, who was fatally stabbed in December 2023 in Hampshire. Nowak was attacked by Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed that the teenager had racially assaulted him. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Nowak with multiple stab wounds but handcuffed him instead of providing immediate medical assistance.

Body-camera footage of the arrest sparked national outrage, and Birch argues that the incident could have been handled differently if not for the force's skewed priorities. He notes that at least four officers attended the scene, a level of response rarely seen for burglary or theft, which he attributes to Digwa's false report of a racist assault.

Such reports, Birch says, are automatically upgraded to serious incidents, diverting resources from genuine emergencies. The document Birch provided to The Mail on Sunday, a London Race Action Plan commissioned by the Metropolitan Police after his departure, offers further evidence of what he sees as the force's descent into activism.

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Birch believes that the police must return to core principles of impartiality and evidence-based policing, rather than succumbing to ideological pressures. The Nowak case, he insists, is a stark warning of what happens when policing becomes more about political correctness than protecting lives.

Birch's resignation has sparked a wider debate about the role of ideology in policing and the potential consequences of ideological capure. As the Metropolitan Police grapples with the fallout from the Nowak case, it remains to be seen whether the force will return to its core principles or continue down the path of ideological activism.

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The London Race Action Plan, written by Dr Shereen Daniels, includes a trigger warning for black readers and is filled with buzzwords like blackness and misogynoir. Birch believes that such publications dictate how officers carry out their duties, prioritizing a radical agenda over public safety.

Birch's concerns about the force's ideological capture have been echoed by some within the policing community, who argue that the focus on political correctness has led to a decline in core policing principles. As the debate continues,it remains to be seen whether the Metropolitan Police will address the concerns of officers like Birch or continue down the path of ideological activism.