Today's crime figures are truly shocking and must put an end to Tory austerity and police cuts - Abbott

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to the latest ONS crime figures, which showed that violent crime was up by 19%, with knife crime up 12%, the highest since comparable records began in 2011, said:

“These figures are truly shocking and must put an end to Tory austerity and police cuts.

“You can’t keep the public safe on the cheap. The Tories are failing in their duty to protect the public and keep our citizens safe.

“They have now cut over 21,000 police officers since 2010, leaving forces across the country under staffed and overstretched.

“These figures are a tragic indictment of this Tory government’s policies. Labour will recruit 10,000 new police officers to address this crisis.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• ·         Police recorded violence has increased 19%
• ·         Homicide is up 14% (excluding victims of the London terror & Manchester Arena attacks). This continues an upward trend in homicides since March 2014, indicating a change to the long-term decrease over the previous decade.
• ·         Number of homicides involving knife up 25%
• ·         Knife crime have risen by 12% - highest since comparable records began in 2011
• ·         Robbery increased 22%