Blair Gibbs

  • Head of Crime & Justice, 2010-2012
  • blair.gibbs@policyexchange.org.uk
  • 0207 340 2650
Blair Gibbs

Biography

Blair Gibbs now works as principal adviser at City Hall in the Mayor of London’s Office for Policing and Crime.

Blair was Research Director for Crime & Justice at from June 2010 to September 2012. Blair was a regular commentator on current policing and criminal justice issues in the United Kingdom, appearing at conferences and on national broadcast outlets along with writing numerous articles for the print media.

Prior to joining Policy Exchange, Blair worked as senior policy advisor to the Policing and Criminal Justice Minister, Rt Hon Nick Herbert MP, as a freelance consultant, and as a director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

Related Publications

  • What's In A Name? Is there a case for equal marriage?

    16 July 2012

    What’s In A Name? Is there a case for equal marriage? looks at the social, historic and legal arguments for and against gay marriage. It argues that marriage could be a particularly powerful institution for many young gay people – encouraging fidelity and commitment, providing role models and a strong support structure.

  • From the Ground Up: Promising criminal justice projects in the US and the UK

    07 November 2011

    From the Ground Up: Promising criminal justice projects in the US and the UK examines successful demonstration projects in the UK and the US that are attempting to reduce crime, drug use and incarceration, among other challenging goals.

  • Cost of the Cops

    05 September 2011

    Since 2001 police funding has surged by a quarter in real terms but this investment has not transformed police performance. Taxpayers have spent at least £500m since 2006 in extra employment costs for over 7,000 police officers who have a uniform, but who are hidden away in back offices rather than policing. Cost of the Cops shows how the police can increase numbers of officers on front line duties at a time of when the police budget is shrinking.

  • Inside Job: Creating a market for real work in prison

    13 June 2011

    Inside Job maps out what real work in prison should look like and what needs to change in the current prison system to make it a reality.

  • Police Overtime Expenditure

    07 March 2011

    Police Overtime Expenditure examines the significant variance in overtime between police forces in England & Wales.

  • Bringing Rights Back Home: Making human rights compatible with parliamentary democracy in the UK

    07 February 2011

    This report explores the judicial landscape of the UK’s three supreme courts – in London, in Strasbourg and in Luxembourg (the European Court of Justice) – and the new human rights context in which the judiciary and politicians now operate.

  • Fitting the Crime: Reforming community sentences

    25 November 2010

    Fitting the Crime: Reforming Community Sentences exposes how community sentences are failing to properly penalise or deter offenders and do not command public trust.

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Related News

  • Controversial 'four horsemen' police reformist given top job by Boris Johnson

    14 September 2012

    The Evening Standard wrote an article on former Policy Exchange Head of Crime and Justice Blair Gibbs' recent appointment as Principal Adviser for Policing and Crime to the Mayor of London. In the article, Blair is quoted speaking about police reform.

  • Apathy fears over police chief elections

    23 August 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange, is quoted by BBC News arguing that Police & Crime Commissioners will improve British policing and make the streets safer.

  • Blair Gibbs on World at One

    21 August 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange, appears on the World at One to advocate Police & Crime Commissioners and their re-focusing of policing along local concerns.

  • Tory police policy in for ‘bumpy night’

    20 August 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice, is quoted by The Financial Times arguing that the recent press criticism of the government's lack of advertising for the upcoming PCC elections has hopefully raised awareness of the elections.

  • G4S debacle deals Olympic-sized blow to company's global reputation

    16 July 2012

    Head of Policy Exchange's Crime & Justice Unit, Blair Gibbs, is quoted by The Guardian highlighting the challenges G4S face in obtaining any future public services contracts.

  • Default ThumbGames fiasco threatens G4S contracts

    13 July 2012

    Following the revelation of G4S struggling to provide security staff for the Olympic Games Blair Gibbs is quoted stressing the importance of contractors delivering public services.

  • Blair Gibbs on BBC Radio London

    08 June 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice, is interviewed on BBC Radio London on whether Tom Winsor is the right man to head up Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Blair argues that Winsor's reputation as an independent voice who is not swayed by vested interests make him a good candidate for the job.

  • Justice from the ground up

    01 June 2012

    Speaking to Eolas Magazine, Blair Gibbs - Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange - stresses that trial and error is important in piloting new criminal justice projects and that policymakers should not be afraid of failure. Eolas Magazine also examines the various criminal justice case studies in the UK and the US covered in our report From the Ground Up.

  • The police boo-boys who cost us £6m a year: How nearly 200 officers are working full-time for 'union'

    18 May 2012

    Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs is quoted by The Daily Mail criticsing the numbers of warranted police officers performing full time union duties.

  • Human rights laws are a charter for criminals, say 75% of Britons

    16 April 2012

    Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs is quoted calling for the return of sovereignty over human rights issues to be returned to Britain from the ECtHR, as Policy Exchange recommended in report Bringing Rights Back Home. Polling for Policy Exchange revealed that 3 in 4 British voters felt that human rights legislation as it currently stands is being abused.

  • Three out of four Brits want rights act dumped

    15 April 2012

    The Sun on Sunday quotes Blair Gibbs, Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice, calling for sovereignty over human rights to be returned from the ECtHR to the UK, as recommended by report Bringing Rights Back Home.

  • Human rights and Europe: Down to the wire

    13 April 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice, is quoted by The Economist pointing out that the upcoming Brighton conference on the ECtHR will not tackle the problem of how the Court interacts with Parliament and the Supreme Court - an issue we examine in Bringing Rights Back Home.

  • Blair Gibbs on Newsnight

    15 March 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Head of Crime & Justice at Policy Exchange, appears on Newsnight highlighting the similarities between analysis and recommendations made in the Winsor Review and those made in the Sheehy Report of 1993.

  • Blair Gibbs on Inside Out West

    06 March 2012

    Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs is interviewed on Inside Out West on Police & Crime Commissioners. Policy Exchange is acknowledged as being one of the main architects of the new Commissioner role.

  • Blair Gibbs on Newsnight

    24 February 2012

    Head of Policy Exchange's Crime & Justice Unit Blair Gibbs appears on Newsnight following the revelation of plans in Government to introduce tougher community sentences. He agrees with reforming such sentences and argues that there needs to be a focus on punishment and that payback needs to be visible to install public confidence in the criminal justice system.

  • Abu Qatada costs 'will rise to £3m'

    22 February 2012

    The Independent quotes Blair Gibbs, Policy Exchange's Head of Crime & Justice Unit stating the deportation of Abu Qatata is the best outcome but warns of the costs and inefficient appeals process.

  • Withdraw from human rights law to deport Qatada, say Tory MPs

    22 February 2012

    Head of Policy Exchange's Crime & Justice Unit Blair Gibbs is quoted in the Daily Telegraph highlighting the damages and costs to the UK resulting from the failure of deporting Abu Qatada.

  • Going against convention

    12 February 2012

    Blair Gibbs, Head of Crime & Justice, is quoted in The Big Issue voicing his concerns over the growing influence and assertiveness of the European Court of Human Rights.

  • European judges' ruling on Abu Qatada 'a threat to our national security'

    07 February 2012

    Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs is quoted in The Telegraph criticising the ECtHR for refusing to allow the deportation of Abu Qatada and arguing that the government needs to create a credible plan to curb the power of the Court’s power.

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Related Blogs

  • Fewer police officers doesn't necessarily mean a rise in crime

    03 July 2012

    Head of Policy Exchange's Crime and Justice unit Blair Gibbs writes in The Guardian that a fall in police numbers does not necessarily lead to an increase in crime. Findings from Cost of the Cops are used to support his case.

  • Blair Gibbs: An American lesson for Britain's crime fighters

    22 April 2011

    Quoting from his foreword to Policy Exchange report Fighting Crime and Disorder, Head of Crime & Justice Blair Gibbs writes in the Yorkshire Post on the career of Bill Bratton, former chief of police in both New York and Los Angeles and the lessons the UK could learn from his experiences.