Critics claim Essex police’s investigation into the Daily Telegraph columnist represents a threat to free speech and a waste of police resources

• Starmer says police should focus on ‘what matters most’ amid Pearson tweet investigation

The Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson is under investigation by Essex police for allegedly stirring up racial hatred with a social media post made last November. Pearson has said officers told her they were planning to record a non-crime hate incident (NCHI) against her, an incident that does not meet the threshold for a crime. Essex police say the alleged offence was being treated as a criminal matter, not an NCHI. The incident has led to fierce debate as critics claim it represents a threat to free speech and is a waste of police resources. Essex police have complained to the media standards watchdog Ipso over alleged false reporting about its ongoing investigation.