Budget cuts fuel the violent crimewave

BRITAIN’S top police chief yesterday acknowledged that multi-million budget cuts have boosted a rise in violent crime.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick listed several factors to explain the surge in offences.

She told LBC radio’s Nick Ferrari, a Sunday Express columnist: “There are a whole load of things. Of course I would be naive to say that the reduction in police finances over the past few years, not just in London but beyond, hasn’t had an impact. I’m sure it has. It’s part of the issue.”

Ms Dick inherited a budget cut of £1billion when she took over the 30,000-strong force last year.

London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan recently pledged to boost the Met’s coffers by £110million.

The Commissioner said she would use the money to recruit about 500 extra officers.

She was speaking just hours after a 24-year-old man was stabbed to death in Barking, east London.

Speaking on LBC about the spike in violent crime, Ms Dick said: “There are lots of reasons for it. There’s a connection to the drugs markets. Then there’s, obviously, some changes in people’s financial and economic circumstances that affect all kinds of things which have a direct or indirect effect on young people.

“We are seeing the glamourisation of violence, we are seeing social media being used to taunt other gangs, to bring violence about very quickly.”

Scotland Yard has launched more than 60 murder inquiries so far this year.