The Liberal Democrats have criticised the government after it
emerged the Home Office police grant for 2018-19 will remain
exactly the same as this year, meaning police forces will see the
equivalent of a £125m real-terms cut once inflation is taken into
account.
£270m of the additional funding the government is claiming to be
investing in the police will depend on local Police and Crime
Commissioners raising the police precept in their areas, which the
Liberal Democrats have branded a "stealth council tax rise."
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson commented:
“The impact of this cut in police budgets will unfortunately be
rather different from the government's smoke and mirrors
spin.
“With crime rising even faster than inflation, the Home Secretary
should have increased police budgets in real terms.
"By refusing to listen to senior police officers’ calls for
investment, Conservative Ministers are failing to keep our
streets safe.
“Even the Conservatives’ attempt at a stealth council tax rise
wouldn’t be enough to protect local police forces.
“I’m genuinely shocked that Ministers have ignored the alarming
rise in murders, gun and knife crime and sexual
assaults with this decision."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Home Office Police Core Settlement announced today for
2018/19 is £4,054,533,651 (link, p.3), which is
exactly the same as in 2017/18 (link, p.6)
If funding had kept pace with annual inflation of 3.1%, it would
have been increased by £125.7m (ONS, link)
The government's announcement on police funding can be
found here. It says the
government is "empowering locally elected police and
crime commissioners to raise precept contributions by up to £1 a
month for a typical household. Together, this will mean force
budgets will increase by up to £270 million nationally."
