The Labour government will consult the public on the use of live facial recognition (LFR) before making any decisions about expanding deployments across England. Policing minister Sarah Jones announced the move during the party’s annual conference, saying the goal is to establish clear parameters for the technology’s use by law enforcement.
Consultation Before Expansion
Speaking in an interview, Jones confirmed that ministers will not proceed with a national roll-out until after the consultation process. She acknowledged that existing safeguards are incomplete and said the consultation will help determine how to balance policing needs with privacy rights. “We will consult on the use of live facial recognition and put some parameters around it,” Jones said.
The statement marks a shift from the pace of expansion seen earlier this year, when the Home Office funded 10 LFR vans for seven police forces, citing the need to target high-harm offenders. According to government figures, deployments by the Metropolitan Police led to 580 arrests in a 12-month period.
Legal and Oversight Backdrop
Live facial recognition currently operates without a dedicated legal framework, relying on common-law powers, the Data Protection Act 2018, and policing codes. In August, the Equality and Human Rights Commission warned that the Met’s use of LFR is likely unlawful without stronger safeguards. The Home Office has previously signaled it is working on rules to provide a governance foundation for police use of the technology.
Parliamentary debate and civil society criticism have emphasized concerns over proportionality, accuracy, and bias. The consultation process indicates that the government is moving toward codifying LFR regulation rather than pursuing immediate expansion.
Ongoing Deployments
Despite the policy shift, deployments continue. The Metropolitan Police have used LFR to scan millions of faces in public spaces, while regional forces including Bedfordshire and South Wales have explored or expanded their own programs. Recent initiatives include LFR vans across seven police forces, new deployments in Bedford town centre, and the ICO’s first audit of police use of facial recognition.
The government has also faced calls to legislate specifically for police use of biometric surveillance, following warnings from regulators and recommendations from think tanks such as the Ada Lovelace Institute.
Source: The Guardian, UKAuthority, GOV.UK, The Independent
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
