Ditch vanity projects and fund police

HOME Secretary Amber Rudd has been waxing lyrical on police and crime after the spate of London murders. She painted a picture of success in catching criminals, but up and down the country crime bosses and petty criminals alike work in a relatively free atmosphere.

Because, over the past decade, police numbers have been slashed by some 15 per cent.

Policing is a labour-intensive industry, and Rudd, like so many politicians, does not understand that in the real world if you slash your workforce by such a large amount, you will not be able to maintain the same level of service to the public.

Across the country, police stations are being closed down, and if one has the misfortune to be robbed, the most likely outcome will be that a constable will telephone you and give you a crime number to use for your insurance claim. Do not expect a visit from a police officer, for surviving stations do not have the staff to send out.

London is currently experiencing a wave of violent crime with more than 50 lives lost this year so far. That means a similar number of murder teams, another drain on available resources and therefore, fewer police on the streets.

However, it is not only London that is suffering, for if all crimes were reported, Rudd would not be able to use favourable statistics to plead her case.

In many instances, criminals get away with petty thefts because the hassle of those afflicted getting a crime number and battling with insurance companies is just not worth it.

I accept that Government was saddled with a huge debt burden and cuts had to be made, but the police should have been a special case.

Today, with so few police stations actually open, and a copper on the beat a rarity, the pendulum has swung in favour of the criminal.

It is obvious vanity projects like HS2 should be abandoned, with money saved being channelled into education, health and the police.

It makes business sense, something which few politicians seem to have. Russell Luckock is chairman of Birmingham pressings firm

AE Harris