Tories are losing the fight against violent crime – Diane Abbott

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s shadow home secretary, responding to the end of year crime stats released today which show recorded violent crime is up 20%, an increase of 136% since 2010, said:

“The Tories are losing the fight against violent crime, and their reckless cuts to the police and youth support are at the heart of the crisis.

“Knife crime is at a record high, and the number of charges brought against suspects has reached a record low.

“All communities hit hard by rising crime will rightly be angry at the hypocrisy of Boris Johnson in demanding more police officers when he’s voted for every police cut since he entered office. No doubt ministers today will try to claim the latest tiny rise in police numbers as a success while cutting 20,000 officers off our streets.

“You can’t keep people safe on the cheap. Labour fought Tory cuts to the police and we have a fully-funded plan to put 10,000 officers back on our streets to fight crime and keep our communities safe.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

• ·         Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2019