The Black Spy Podcast
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 1) Black Spy Podcast, 203, Season 21, Episode 0004 Over the next two weeks the black spy Podcast will look into Britain’s broken policing system with former Metropolitan Police officer - Karl. The British policing system is increasingly seen as broken — caught between ideological pressures, a hostile media, disengaged politicians, and internal dysfunction. Once a globally respected model of "policing by consent," UK policing is now the perennial "whipping boy" of the British media, frequently lambasted from all sides. This criticism is partly due to...
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Crime - What is it? (Part 2) Black Spy Podcast, 202, Season 21, Episode 0003 Over two weeks the black spy Podcast has been looking into what CRIME is by navigating the undermentioned points: In the UK, the creation of criminal law is the responsibility of Parliament. A crime is not considered such unless it is defined in statute (an Act of Parliament) or recognised under common law (judicial precedent). For example, theft is defined under the Theft Act 1968, while murder is a common law offence. Parliament introduces new criminal offences or modifies existing ones in response to...
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Crime - What is it? (Part 1) Black Spy Podcast, 201, Season 21, Episode 0002 Over the next two weeks the black spy Podcast will look into what CRIME is navigating the undermentioned points. In the UK, the creation of criminal law is the responsibility of Parliament. A crime is not considered such unless it is defined in statute (an Act of Parliament) or recognised under common law (judicial precedent). For example, theft is defined under the Theft Act 1968, while murder is a common law offence. Parliament introduces new criminal offences or modifies existing ones in response to societal...
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The consequences for nuclear proliferation of the Israeli - Iran War The Black Spy Podcast, 200, Season 21, Episode 0001 This week’s Black Spy Podcast looks at the consequences of the Israeli attack on Iran and the subsequent 12 day war for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. As part of Carlton’s ‘Critical Thinking’ orientated episodes, where he asks listeners to think beyond the mass media fed narrates that state’s wish their citizens to imbibe, Carlton outlines massive anomalies, double standards and hypocrisy. Learn about IAEA position, which states already possess...
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. Since age 16: 26.1% experienced abuse (30.3% women, 21.7% men) . Year-ending March 2024 figures (ONS): 4.8% (2.3 m) experienced abuse: 6.6% women (1.6 m), 3.0% men (712,000) . Police recorded ~1.4 m domestic abuse incidents/crimes; 851,000 were actual crimes . 💔 Deaths Attributed to Domestic Violence (Apr 2023–Mar 2024) Domestic Homicide Project (2024): 262 deaths related to domestic abuse: 164 homicides, 98 suicides triggered by abuse . Over a four-year span (2020–2024): 1,012 deaths, including 501 homicides . Separate ONS data: Between...
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🎙️ Tune in to Part One of this week's Black Spy Podcast Critical Thinking Combatting Domestic Violence Black Spy Podcast 198, Season 20, Episode 0009 🎙️ Tune in to Part One of The Black Spy Podcast Host Carlton King (“The Black Spy”) sits down with Dr Rachel Taylor, a leading neuroscientist, and journalist Firgas Esack, to dive deep into these figures. This episode explores not only the statistics but the human, systemic, and gendered dimensions of domestic violence—shining light on under‑reported experiences, prevention strategies, and why these numbers matter....
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The consequences of Israeli’s attack on Iran Black Spy Podcast, 197, Season 20, Episode 0008 In this week’s Black Spy Podcasts, Carlton King looks at the potential consequences of the Israeli attack on Iran. Immediate Outcomes: Carlton argues that Israel’s sneak attack on Iran, targeting strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, top military leadership and nuclear scientists and their families during talks with the US to come to a diplomatic arrangement meant Iran must retaliate. Regional Escalation: A full-scale war could engulf Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, with Israel fighting on multiple...
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Critical Thinking - Can President Putin withstand the clamour for all out war with the West? Black Spy Podcast, 196, Season 20, Episode 0007 In this week’s Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King argues that the attack on The Russian Federation’s nuclear airborne wing, plus attacks on a civilian train and the Crimean Bridge are playing with nuclear fire. Carlton argues that it puts at risk nuclear verification treaties, makes the Russian state ask the question whether the West is probing for a first strike nuclear attack and worst of all, it put an inordinate amount of pressure on...
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Critical Thinking - Can President Putin withstand the clamour for all out war with the West? Black Spy Podcast, 196, Season 20, Episode 0007 In this week’s Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King argues that the attack on The Russian Federation’s nuclear airborne wing, plus attacks on a civilian train and the Crimean Bridge are playing with nuclear fire. Carlton argues that it puts at risk nuclear verification treaties, makes the Russian state ask the question whether the West is probing for a first strike nuclear attack and worst of all, it put an inordinate amount of pressure on...
info_outlineThe Black Spy Podcast
Critical Thinking - Can President Putin withstand the clamour for all out war with the West? Black Spy Podcast, 196, Season 20, Episode 0007 In this week’s Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King argues that the attack on The Russian Federation’s nuclear airborne wing, plus attacks on a civilian train and the Crimean Bridge are playing with nuclear fire. Carlton argues that it puts at risk nuclear verification treaties, makes the Russian state ask the question whether the West is probing for a first strike nuclear attack and worst of all, it put an inordinate amount of pressure on...
info_outlineBritain’s Broken Police System! (Part 1)
Black Spy Podcast, 203, Season 21, Episode 0004
Over the next two weeks the black spy Podcast will look into Britain’s broken policing system with former Metropolitan Police officer - Karl.
The British policing system is increasingly seen as broken — caught between ideological pressures, a hostile media, disengaged politicians, and internal dysfunction. Once a globally respected model of "policing by consent," UK policing is now the perennial "whipping boy" of the British media, frequently lambasted from all sides. This criticism is partly due to a cultural shift where trust in institutions has declined, but also because policing uniquely occupies a frontline position in enforcing state power — a role that makes it ripe for both legitimate scrutiny and sensationalist scapegoating.
Unlike in many other countries, British politicians rarely champion the police. In the United States or France, political leaders across the spectrum often vocally support their law enforcement institutions, viewing them as essential to national identity and internal security. In contrast, UK politicians tend to distance themselves from the police when controversy arises, often feeding public cynicism rather than countering it. This absence of political backing leaves police officers demoralised and vulnerable to being thrown "under the bus" in times of crisis, rather than being defended or constructively supported.
Popular media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions. British television dramas and films frequently portray police as racist, misogynist, or institutionally corrupt. While some of these representations are rooted in real scandals, if incomplete understandings such events as the Stephen Lawrence case, the mishandling of rape investigations, or the behaviour of some Metropolitan Police officers — the fictional depiction often magnifies these issues with 1960’s and 70’s generalised stereotypes of police actions that are now way reflective of modern British policing. This creates a public narrative that all officers are morally compromised, poorly trained, or socially regressive, further damaging morale and recruitment. Moreover, policing is a dangerous job, but unlike their colleagues in practically every other police service in the world including the British province of Northern Ireland, mainland British police officers generally have no firearm with which to defend themselves and the public with. As 98% of British are constantly unarmed.
At the same time, UK policing is accused of becoming excessively “woke.” Forces are encouraged to demonstrate social awareness on issues like diversity, inclusion, and gender identity. Critics argue that time spent on symbolic gestures — like dancing at Pride or policing social media posts — detracts from crime prevention and erodes public confidence. However, police are also under relentless scrutiny from every political angle: derided by the left for being oppressive, and by the right for being too politically correct. This contradictory environment makes effective leadership and consistent operational focus nearly impossible.
Recruitment and retention have become serious problems. Policing is no longer seen as a desirable career: the risks are high, pay is relatively low, public respect is diminishing, and the threat of professional ruin following a viral video or policy misstep is ever-present. Consequently, many experienced officers are leaving, while entry standards have been lowered to fill vacancies. Complex educational entry requirements, meant to professionalise the service, have ironically deterred candidates who may be strong in practical, frontline aptitude but not academically inclined.
Internally, management within many forces has become overly bureaucratic, with senior officers often unwilling to support their junior colleagues. Fear of reputational damage and media backlash means command staff are more likely to criticise rank-and-file officers than defend them. This top-down culture promotes self-preservation over solidarity and weakens operational cohesion.
In sum, British policing today is a system adrift — politically abandoned, socially caricatured, ideologically pulled in all directions, and professionally undermined. Without cultural, political and managerial reform, trust in the police will continue to erode, and with it, the very foundations of public safety and civic order.
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