The British Government hints at releasing data such as the ethnicity and migration status of sexual offenders. "Our position is that all authorities, from the Police to the central government, should be as transparent as possible when dealing with these cases," a spokesperson for the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, as reported by Daily Express.
The Labour Government's response comes after criticism from far-right politician Nigel Farage who, in a press conference, accused the Police of "covering up" by not revealing the ethnicity or migration status of two men who sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
The leader of the Reform UK party, rising in the polls and often associating immigration with crime, criticized the fact that it was hidden that the detainees were two Afghan asylum seekers, as reported by another tabloid on Sunday, Daily Mail.
This media outlet attributes to its sources that the Police advised local councilors and officials not to disclose those personal details to "avoid fueling community tensions." Starmer's spokesperson admitted that "the public has every right to feel shocked and outraged" by the sexual assault and assured that "the Government has always said, and continues to say, that transparency is important."
According to Daily Express, the Warwickshire Police defended their actions by stating that they comply with "national guidelines," which do not require the disclosure of ethnicity or migration status. The force does mention the possibility of sharing "sensitive information about the location, crime details, and police activity to catch offenders."