Water cannon: Boris shut down by Theresa May
Home Secretary Theresa May has ruled out the use of water cannon by police in England and Wales. She told MPs she would not authorise the use of water cannon because of the “capacity to cause harm”.
Theresa May put forward evidence provided from police, medical and independent bodies, following months of deliberation on the issue and decided against the use of water cannon in England and Wales. Water cannon are used in Northern Ireland, but have never been deployed in the rest of the UK.
‘Could cause serious harm’
Mrs May told MPs: “This country has a proud history of policing by consent and this is a decision which goes to its very heart. Since I became Home Secretary, I have been determined to give the police the powers and tools they need to cut crime and tackle disorder on our streets.
“But where the medical and scientific evidence suggests those powers could cause serious harm, where the operational case is not clear, and where the historic principle of policing by consent could be placed at risk, I will not give my agreement.
“The application for the authorisation of the Wasserwerfer 9000 water cannon does not meet this high threshold.”
London Mayor Boris Johnson authorised the Metropolitan Police to buy three second-hand water can from Germany last year, even though they cannot be deployed without the go-ahead from the Home Office. He previously said it would be “highly unlikely” that the water cannon would be rejected by the Home Secretary.
The second-hand Wasserwerfer 9000 water cannon cost Scotland Yard £218,000, when they bought them last year.
Boris Johnson told MPs that the purchase of the water cannon had been backed by police, the Prime Minister and by the people of London.
Following the announcement, Mr Johnson said he does not “necessarily agree” with Mrs May’s decision.
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Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper was in favour of the decision saying it was “exactly right”.
Speaking in the commons, she said:”today, on the main substance of your statement, I could not agree with you more. You are exactly right to reject the applicationfrom the police and the Mayor of London to use water cannon.
“Water cannon has never been deployed in England, Scotland or Wales. No-one has put forward any justification for why that should change now.”