Carolyn Harris MP, Shadow Home Office Minister, has today criticized the Government for ‘broken promises’ they have made about police funding cuts.
Speaking in the House of Commons during a motion to approve the Police Grant Report (England and Wales) for 2017-18, the Swansea East MP said:
“They have broken their promise to parliament that they will protect front-line policing.
“They have left our police forces across the country without the money they need to keep our people safe from crime.”
The total police grant for 2017-18 for England and Wales is being cut to £7,324.9 million from £7,421.6 million in the previous year (a cut of £96.7 million). With funding being cut every year, there are now 21,000 fewer police officers than there were in 2010.
In an interview with LBC radio earlier this month Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, outgoing Scotland Yard chief said:
“It’s getting difficult…the bottom line is there will be less cops. I can’t see any other way that it will be.
“There is only so much you can cut and make efficiencies and then you’ve got to have less police and I’m not sure that’s wise in this city.
“It’s getting bigger and we have some big events.”
Mrs Harris and the Shadow Home Office team agree with Sir Bernard, stating:
“It’s quite simply not fit for purpose.
“This underfunding of our police services must stop. Our citizens deserve a police force that is fit for purpose. And our hardworking police men and women deserve a government that supports them to do their job”.
Mrs Harris ended her speech in the Commons by stating:
“In summary, Mr Speaker, the Government presents itself as the party of law and order but their policy on police is a shambles…
“In the absence of any credible policy they just keep cutting year after year in the hope it will all be OK. But it isn’t OK. This Government’s incompetence lets down the taxpayer.
“Their broken promises about further cuts to front line services lets down the public. And is insulting to the hardworking and brave police men and women across the country”.
