Conservatives response to Labour’s policing announcement

Wednesday, 4 December 2024 22:30

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Fewer than a third of Labour's 13,000 neighbourhood police are actually new police officers. What's more, the £100 million being made available will only cover less than a third of what is needed to recruit, train and pay new officers and PCSOs, which will undoubtedly lead to cuts elsewhere. “The Conservatives recruited over 20,000 extra police officers and gave the police an extra £922 million for policing this...Request free trial

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said:

“Fewer than a third of Labour's 13,000 neighbourhood police are actually new police officers. What's more, the £100 million being made available will only cover less than a third of what is needed to recruit, train and pay new officers and PCSOs, which will undoubtedly lead to cuts elsewhere.

“The Conservatives recruited over 20,000 extra police officers and gave the police an extra £922 million for policing this year, ensuring the police could protect the public and prosecute more criminals.

“Starmer has once again misled the public by claiming to recruit 13,000 extra officers when the actual number is 3,000, and even that is not properly funded. This announcement means 3,000 Police will also be cut from 999 response and investigations - making the public less safe.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Only 3,000 of the 13,000 neighbourhood police officers are extra new police officers. It was reported that the Home Office has requested funding for the recruitment of 3,000 fully warranted officers, 4,000 police community support officers and training and expenses for 3,000 additional special constables, who are unpaid volunteers. An additional 3,000 officers will be diverted from the existing workforce to make up the new neighbourhood policing programme (The Times, 2 December 2024, link).

The Conservative Government delivered on our manifesto commitment to recruit over 20,000 extra police officers, helping to keep our streets safe. We delivered on our manifesto commitment of delivering 20,000 additional police officers – higher than 2010 levels (Home Office, National Statistics, 24 January 2024, link).

This year, on 31 March, we hit 149,769 police officers by headcount – the largest number of record and about 3,000 more than the previous peak in 2010 (Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2023, 24 July 2024, link).

The Conservative Government boosted police funding to over £18 billion, giving them the resources they need to make the streets safer. Police funding is £18.4 billion for 2024-25, representing 30.7 per cent cash terms increase compared to 2019-20, keeping communities safe (Home Office, Press Release, 14 December 2023, link).

Labour have seemingly dropped their target to halve violence against women and girls. It was reported in The Times that Home Office sources confirmed that there would not be a specific target on tackling violence against women and girls in Keir Starmer's speech but Jess Phillips said in the House of Commons on Tuesday that this was an obsession of Keir Starmer's so the mission has not gone away (Hansard, 3 December 2024, Vol.758 Col.185, link).

Police forces are only getting ‘an allowance' for national insurance rises, not the full funding suggested. In a letter to Matthew Scott, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent, Diana Johnson said the Autumn Budget document includes ‘an allowance on national insurance contributions for public sector organisations' (Matthew Scott PCC, Twitter, 2 December 2024, link).