MP, Labour’s Shadow Home
Secretary, responding to the publication of
the Financial sustainability of police forces in England
and Wales by the Committee of Public Accounts, said:
“The report presents a damning picture of Government underfunding
and mismanagement of the police force. Police chiefs report
communities feeling less safe, which comes as little surprise
with nearly 50,000 fewer staff than in 2010 at a time when
reported crime is rising. Neighbourhood policing has borne the
brunt of Tory policy, and officers are increasingly required to
tackle the effects of social problems which have been deepened by
Tory cuts in other budgets, especially local authorities.
“This report from the Public Accounts Committee is just the
latest in a string of highly critical independent reports on the
effects of Government cuts, from the Home Affairs Select
Committee, the National Audit Office and others. There is too an
emerging consensus that Ministers are unaware of the effect of
their own policies, and have made little effort to examine local
conditions. Instead, the Government as a whole is simply in
denial that their cuts to policing have consequences.
“Austerity in policing continues, with the Budget offering
nothing new except a dubious claim to be increasing funding for
counter-terrorism. Police forces are reaching a crisis point and
the Government should end this reckless policy.
“Labour has pledged to provide 10,000 extra officers to begin to
reverse the crisis in policing.”
