Police delayed law after getting Hancock’s Covid legislation with minutes to go

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Martin Hewitt, the former chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said on Thursday he had to tell then-home secretary Dame Priti Patel officers would need more time to act. Covid inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett criticised some “bad” legislation drawn up during the pandemic in a hearing focusing on the extraordinary powers handed to police. How on earth one forms a reasonable ground to suggest that somebody has or may be infected with a virus you can’t see seems to me quite a challenge in a practical sense Martin Hewitt, former NPCC chairman Dame Priti told the inquiry: “Those regulations were solely the domain of the Department of Health and Social Care, that was the case throughout the pandemic.” Baroness Hallett criticised legislation giving police the powers to direct people to be tested for Covid-19 and enforce medical directions. “How on earth one forms a reasonable ground to suggest that somebody has or may be infected with a virus you can’t see seems to me quite a challenge in a practical sense,” he said.