Dangerous link between fewer police, more crime

WHO to believe? Before she fell on her sword last month the then home secretary Amber Rudd was adamant that police cuts were not to blame for soaring violent crime.

Yesterday the country’s top officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, said she was “sure” budget cuts have had an impact on violence.

She was honest enough to admit that there are other factors at play – including the rise in drug gangs and social media glamorising knife attacks.

But even the Government’s staunchest supporters find it hard to explain away the apparent cause and effect of fewer police officers and more criminal offences.

Since the Tories came to power in 2010, the Met has had to cut its budget by £600million and police numbers have dropped nationally by 20,000, with 114 police stations closing.

Over the past year the capital’s murder rate has soared by 44 per cent – with more than 60 murders in 2018 alone – shootings are up 23 per cent and knife crime by 21 per cent.

The budget has been boosted by £110million this year and Ms Dick says the first thing she’ll do is hire 500 more coppers. Theresa May fully understands the crisis because she was home secretary while most of the cuts were forced through.

Why on earth does she still insist on Britain spending almost £14billion on foreign aid – much of it unnecessary – when at home our streets resemble the Wild West?