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Will Boris Johnson's water cannon blast Theresa May out of the water? The real reason water cannon are coming to Boris Johnson's London
(35 minutes later)
It's that time when Tory leadership contenders start making audacious moves to secure their position in the party. Michael Gove has his Trojan horse shenanigans, Theresa May has her battle with Gove, and Boris Johnson has water cannon.It's that time when Tory leadership contenders start making audacious moves to secure their position in the party. Michael Gove has his Trojan horse shenanigans, Theresa May has her battle with Gove, and Boris Johnson has water cannon.
There is much riding on these wars. Johnson, an incomparable media operator, would appear to be the natural candidate to take control of the Conservative party. He is an instinctive Thatcherite who nonetheless knows how to communicate well beyond the right, and who rebuts hostile questioning by making interviewers melt into giggles. He has demonstrated in London that he can expand the Tory base and preserve it.There is much riding on these wars. Johnson, an incomparable media operator, would appear to be the natural candidate to take control of the Conservative party. He is an instinctive Thatcherite who nonetheless knows how to communicate well beyond the right, and who rebuts hostile questioning by making interviewers melt into giggles. He has demonstrated in London that he can expand the Tory base and preserve it.
Yet recent polls of Tory members find him lagging well behind May. The expedited purchase of water cannon for the Metropolitan police, before the home secretary has ruled on whether they can be used, is clearly Johnson's answer.Yet recent polls of Tory members find him lagging well behind May. The expedited purchase of water cannon for the Metropolitan police, before the home secretary has ruled on whether they can be used, is clearly Johnson's answer.
The use of water cannon by British police was first broached during the 2011 riots, a magical time when practically any authoritarian solution was alighted on with relish by the great majority of the British public. Even while the courts threw out the sentencing rule book, evidently under instruction to jail anyone remotely connected with the riots, Twitter was ablaze with exhortations to send them back, lock them up, cut their benefits, shoot them with live bullets, send them to Afghanistan, and so on. In the light of this spittle-lathered lunacy, any opportunist who wanted to bring in water cannon could have managed to sound quite moderate.The use of water cannon by British police was first broached during the 2011 riots, a magical time when practically any authoritarian solution was alighted on with relish by the great majority of the British public. Even while the courts threw out the sentencing rule book, evidently under instruction to jail anyone remotely connected with the riots, Twitter was ablaze with exhortations to send them back, lock them up, cut their benefits, shoot them with live bullets, send them to Afghanistan, and so on. In the light of this spittle-lathered lunacy, any opportunist who wanted to bring in water cannon could have managed to sound quite moderate.
As long as the narrative about the riots is that they were caused by "greed and gangs", the "commonsense" response was more, and better, repression. Riots don't work this way. The most detailed study of the riots predictably confirmed that these riots were to a large extent protests against police injustice. The line between crime and political protest is, as student demonstrators know well enough, artificial.As long as the narrative about the riots is that they were caused by "greed and gangs", the "commonsense" response was more, and better, repression. Riots don't work this way. The most detailed study of the riots predictably confirmed that these riots were to a large extent protests against police injustice. The line between crime and political protest is, as student demonstrators know well enough, artificial.
Even if riots did work this way, the police evidently would not see water cannon as a solution. As Sir Hugh Orde pointed out in 2011, after Cameron first vaunted the idea, these weapons are designed for use against static crowds rather than mobile groups. "I don't see it as necessary, and nor do the 43 chiefs I spoke to this morning," Orde remarked. Moreover, Johnson's rationale for expediting the procurement, that London could face disorder over the summer, is exceptionally feeble even within its own logic. The Association of Chief Police Officers has stated that its intelligence does not lead it to expect serious disturbance in the near future. The London Assembly's police and crime commission finds no convincing case has been made for the purchase.Even if riots did work this way, the police evidently would not see water cannon as a solution. As Sir Hugh Orde pointed out in 2011, after Cameron first vaunted the idea, these weapons are designed for use against static crowds rather than mobile groups. "I don't see it as necessary, and nor do the 43 chiefs I spoke to this morning," Orde remarked. Moreover, Johnson's rationale for expediting the procurement, that London could face disorder over the summer, is exceptionally feeble even within its own logic. The Association of Chief Police Officers has stated that its intelligence does not lead it to expect serious disturbance in the near future. The London Assembly's police and crime commission finds no convincing case has been made for the purchase.
So why does Orde want water cannon now? Why has the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) begun a national campaign to get water cannon approved? And why has the Met chief, Bernard Hogan-Howe, asked Johnson to have operational water cannon ready for summer 2014?So why does Orde want water cannon now? Why has the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) begun a national campaign to get water cannon approved? And why has the Met chief, Bernard Hogan-Howe, asked Johnson to have operational water cannon ready for summer 2014?
Acpo's answer is that even if there is unlikely to be serious disturbance, "ongoing and potential future austerity measures are likely to lead to continued protest" that can "turn to serious violent disorder". It says that the weapon could have been used in contexts such as the student protests or those outside the Israeli embassy in 2009.Acpo's answer is that even if there is unlikely to be serious disturbance, "ongoing and potential future austerity measures are likely to lead to continued protest" that can "turn to serious violent disorder". It says that the weapon could have been used in contexts such as the student protests or those outside the Israeli embassy in 2009.
The water cannon, though Boris Johnson blushes to admit it, is for use against protesters. It is also, as Stuart Hall and his colleagues put it some decades ago, for "policing the crisis".The water cannon, though Boris Johnson blushes to admit it, is for use against protesters. It is also, as Stuart Hall and his colleagues put it some decades ago, for "policing the crisis".
Some opponents of water cannon have stressed the risk of serious injuries. This is real enough, but it is epiphenomenal. The main point is to give police a weapon that makes defiance almost impossible, treating protest as something to be crushed and thus tilting the balance of power further away from citizens and toward the state.Some opponents of water cannon have stressed the risk of serious injuries. This is real enough, but it is epiphenomenal. The main point is to give police a weapon that makes defiance almost impossible, treating protest as something to be crushed and thus tilting the balance of power further away from citizens and toward the state.
The home secretary, who has shown streaks of authoritarian malice in other cases, has been cautious of this proposal, citing the need to preserve the consensual nature of British policing. Indeed, part of her reform agenda and the conflict with the police leadership resulting from it, is precisely about reorganising the consensual basis for policing with elected commissioners.The home secretary, who has shown streaks of authoritarian malice in other cases, has been cautious of this proposal, citing the need to preserve the consensual nature of British policing. Indeed, part of her reform agenda and the conflict with the police leadership resulting from it, is precisely about reorganising the consensual basis for policing with elected commissioners.
However, this is where Johnson has been canny. He has carefully prepared the ground for his move, with what looks like extensive push-polling in the guise of consultation to generate support for the idea. He has solicited support across ethnic groups, stressing this fact. And both he and Hogan-Howe, despite claiming that the introduction of the weapon is an urgent matter for the police and public safety, repeatedly declare that it would be used exceptionally rarely, if ever.However, this is where Johnson has been canny. He has carefully prepared the ground for his move, with what looks like extensive push-polling in the guise of consultation to generate support for the idea. He has solicited support across ethnic groups, stressing this fact. And both he and Hogan-Howe, despite claiming that the introduction of the weapon is an urgent matter for the police and public safety, repeatedly declare that it would be used exceptionally rarely, if ever.
In this way, Johnson has softened potential criticism so that he can offer a juicy bone to the authoritarian right. He has put May on the spot. If she ratifies the use of water cannon, she corroborates Johnson's precipitous action. If she does not, she cedes ground to her right that Johnson will seek to occupy; she appears both soft and further antagonises the police leadership, which should ordinarily be the natural ally of a Conservative government.In this way, Johnson has softened potential criticism so that he can offer a juicy bone to the authoritarian right. He has put May on the spot. If she ratifies the use of water cannon, she corroborates Johnson's precipitous action. If she does not, she cedes ground to her right that Johnson will seek to occupy; she appears both soft and further antagonises the police leadership, which should ordinarily be the natural ally of a Conservative government.
As ever with Johnson, his bid comes with a populist feint. He has promised the rightwing LBC journalist Nick Ferrari that he will allow himself to be blasted with a water cannon to prove that it's no big deal. If May wants to keep her lead, she might advise the cannon operators to turn the pressure up very high indeed.As ever with Johnson, his bid comes with a populist feint. He has promised the rightwing LBC journalist Nick Ferrari that he will allow himself to be blasted with a water cannon to prove that it's no big deal. If May wants to keep her lead, she might advise the cannon operators to turn the pressure up very high indeed.