RED-FACED JEZ ‘PM MUST QUIT’ U-TURN
Leader’s personal assault on Theresa MAY WILL CONTINUE HER RAIN Corbyn backs down
The Labour leader said she axed 20,000 officers during her years as Home Secretary.
Spin
During Mrs May’s spell as Home Secretary, the number of officers fell from 146,030 in 2010 to 126,766 in 2016. The number of armed police fell from 6,976 to 5,639.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said in response to the London attack: “We need to look at our resourcing.”
Former counter terrorism chief Jim Gamble agreed, saying: “No matter how you cut it, no matter what spin you put on diversification of resources or doing things differently, there are 20,000 fewer police now than there were in 2010.
“That’s fewer eyes and ears on the street, fewer bobbies building relationships, community confidence and critically creating that visible reassurance and deterrence that is key at times like this.”
Answering questions on the campaign trail, Mr Corbyn backed calls for Mrs May to stand down.
He said: “Yes, we do have a problem. We should never have cut the police numbers.”
Mrs May refused to admit that she was in the wrong and said police budgets had been protected since 2015.
She added: “It is also about the powers you give to the police and I have been responsible for giving the police extra powers to deal with terrorism.
“Jeremy Corbyn has boasted that he has opposed those powers and opposed the powers for antiterror actions throughout his time in parliament.
“I also support, absolutely, shootto-kill and I think what we saw on our streets on Saturday was how important that was.”
Meanwhile, a shock poll suggested the Tories will lose 20 seats in the election, leaving a hung parliament and opening the door for a Labour/SNP coalition.