Diane Abbott blasted by Ministers and top cops for questioning plans to introduce spit hoods to stop crooks gobbing at police
The Shadow Home Secretary stormed there was no evidence to say whether the mesh hoods were “necessary or useful”
LABOUR’s Diane Abbott was blasted by Ministers and top cops today for questioning plans to introduce spit hoods to stop crooks gobbing at police.
The Shadow Home Secretary stormed there was no evidence to say whether the mesh hoods were “necessary or useful”.
But police officers branded her “deluded” and “out of touch”.
Tory Policing Minister Brandon Lewis told the Sun she cannot have spoken with any officer who had caught a disease after being spat on.
And he pointed out that Labour MP Holly Lynch last week called for tougher sentencing for suspects who attack members of the emergency services.
He said: “The decision on whether to use spit hoods to protect officers has to be an operational decision for chief constabulary.
“But I do wonder if Diane has spoken to any officer who have been spat at.”
Ms Abbott spoke out after it emerged all officers in the Thames Valley and Hampshire are to be issued with them. Civil liberty groups claim the spit hoods are cruel and degrading.
But police chiefs took to Twitter to condemn Ms Abbott’s attack.
Met Police SuperIntendent Roy Smith asked if the Labour heavyweight would be willing to meet one of his colleagues “infected with Hepatitis C” after being spat on.
Sergeant Sean Underwood of Avon and Somerset Police added: “Get my blood results tomorrow after spat at twice in face by someone with more diseases than I can name.”
Officer Emma Marie from Wales labelled Ms Abbott “narrow minded”.
She stormed: “You need to go out on a Saturday night and see what a police officer has to deal with.”
Paul a frontline officer from Doncaster, added: “Really, how many times have you been spat at in the House of Commons? I have lost count in custody. No idea.”