Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC has been appointed to lead an independent review of the UK’s public order and hate crime framework, the Home Office has confirmed. The review follows the terrorist attack in Manchester on 2 October and is scheduled to conclude by February 2026.
Announcing the appointment, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the law must protect the public while upholding the right to protest and free speech. The government frames the exercise as an evidence-led assessment of where legislation and operational practice are working well and where clarification may be required.
The review will examine policing powers used to manage protests alongside current hate crime law, including aggravated behaviour offences and provisions on ‘stirring up’ hatred. It will consider whether existing powers are effective and proportionate and whether they protect communities from intimidation and harassment while preserving lawful expression.
According to the government announcement, the aim is a consistent and legally robust approach that deters intimidation and disorder without chilling free speech. The review will therefore test whether thresholds for criminality and the scope of relevant offences are sufficiently clear for police, prosecutors and the public.
This work sits alongside changes proposed to the Crime and Policing Bill, which would require police to consider the overall impact of demonstrations at a single location before setting conditions on future events. Embedding a cumulative‑impact test would influence event planning, risk assessments and liaison between organisers and forces.
Lord Macdonald, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, brings senior prosecutorial experience and institutional independence. He will be supported by Owen Weatherill, a senior policing expert who serves as the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Civil Contingencies and National Mobilisation, providing operational insight from major deployments.
The Home Office expects to confirm detailed terms of reference in the coming weeks. The review will begin imminently and run to a fixed timetable, reporting to ministers with recommendations by February 2026.
For policing bodies and local authorities, the review signals close scrutiny of how conditions on assemblies and processions are set and enforced, and how proportionality is recorded. For community groups, universities and protest organisers, the emphasis on safeguarding lawful speech underscores the value of advance notice, stewarding plans and dialogue with local commanders.
Policy clarity in this field directly affects charging decisions, case outcomes and public confidence. By focusing on effectiveness, proportionality and consistency, the review seeks to ensure that protections against hate are sharpened while the UK’s long‑standing rights to peaceful protest and free expression are preserved.