Police forces to be handed £50m to help in fight against terrorism

POLICE FORCES will be handed a £50m funding boost to help the fight against terrorism.

The extra cash will increase intelligence and surveillance capabilities and pay for armed officers to patrol city centres.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd secured the rise in next year’s police counter-terror budget to at least £757m after convincing Chancellor Philip Hammond more money is needed to protect the public.

Ms Rudd said: “This represents our commitment to backing the talented and brave counter terrorism forces with the resources they need to keep people safe.

“Since 2015 alone we have increased counter terrorism spending by 30 per cent and pledged more than £500m in increased funding for the counter terrorism budget, to protect the UK from the ongoing threat posed by terrorism.

Speaking on the extra cash Ms Rudd added: “This will allow counter terrorism policing to meet head on the threat we face, working closely with our communities and continuing to disrupt those who would want to harm us.

“We are also reviewing our counter terrorism strategy to make sure we meet the unprecedented challenge.”

Counter terror police and the security services have disrupted 22 terrorist plots since the murder of Lee Rigby in May 2013, including nine since the Westminster attack in March this year.

Currently MI5 and counter terrorism police are running well over 500 live operations.