This Tory Government cannot spin its way out of a police funding crisis - Abbott

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, speaking in response to the announcement of the police funding grant, said: 

“This Tory Government cannot spin its way out of a police funding crisis.

“The truth is that today’s announcement means a real terms cut to the police grant. Since 2010 the Tories have made huge cuts to the police, 20,000 police officers have been lost and an increasing number of overstretched forces say they cannot respond to certain crimes.

“Ministers have chosen to hammer the local taxpayer but the Communities Secretary admitted this will raise little under half of the real-terms cuts facing local forces. Further cuts in police officer numbers are now inevitable.

“Labour will protect police funding to keep communities safe.”

Ends

Notes to editors

·         The Police Grant in 2015/16 was £10,927 million https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-12-15/HCWS360/ (Table 5).

·         Office of Budget Responsibility estimates and forecasts of CIP inflation of 7% in the 3 years to 2018/19 http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/inflation/