Was it the worst interview ever?
Here is an edited transcript of Diane Abbott’s interview with Nick Ferrari, who was at LBC in Leicester Square, while she was at a studio in Millbank, central London:
NICK FERRARI: So how much would 10,000 police officers cost?
DIANE ABBOTT: Well, if we recruit the 10,000 policemen and women over a four-year period, we believe it’ll be about £300,000. NF: £300,000? DA: Sorry... [laughs]. NF: 10,000 police officers? What are you paying them? DA: No, I mean, sorry... NF: How much will they cost?
DA: [Pause] They will cost [long pause], it will cost, erm, about [pause], about £80million. NF: How do you get to that figure?
DA: We get to that figure because we anticipate recruiting 25,000 extra police officers a year at least over four years.
NF: The £80million is the figure we use. But I don’t understand. If you divide £80million by 10,000, you get £8,000.
DA: What we’re... NF: Is that what you’re going to pay these policemen and women? DA: No, we’re talking about a process over four years.
NF: I don’t understand. £80million divided by 10,000 equals £8,000. So I don’t, what are these police officers going to be paid? DA: We will be paying them the average... NF: Has this been thought through?
DA: Of course it’s been thought through. NF: Where are the figures?
DA: The figures are that the, the additional cost in year one when we anticipate recruiting 250,000 policemen will be £64.3million. NF: 250,000 policemen? DA: And women.
NF: Right. Where…? So you’re getting more than 10,000? You’re recruiting 250,000? DA: No, we are recruiting 2,000 and perhaps 250. And the cost... NF: Where did 250,000 come from? DA: I think you said that not me. NF: I can assure you, you said that figure because I wrote it down.
DA: What I’m saying about the cost is in year one, obviously we’re getting ready to recruit... NF: [Sighs]
DA: But in year two the cost will be £64.3million, in year three the cost will be £139.1million, year four the cost will be £270million, and year five the cost will be £298million – and that can be amply covered by reversing the cuts in capital gains tax.