‘Weird and gimmicky’: police chiefs condemn Boris Johnson’s crime plan

PM's attempt to grip agenda flounders amid criticism he has ignored evidence on stop-and-search

Police chiefs have condemned Boris Johnson's high-profile strategy to tackle crime as weird and gimmicky", while plans to increase stop-and-search were criticised for ignoring the evidence.

The crime initiative was supposed to show the Johnson government gripping the agenda. But senior police officers, the rank and file, opposition politicians and even some in business rebuked it.