PM ‘has presided over rising tide of racism’

THERESA MAY was accused of presiding over a rising tide of racism in the UK during Prime Minister’s Questions.

Labour’s Owen Smith said incidents had jumped “100 per cent” since she came to office, which she put down to improving how hate crimes are recorded.

The MP for Pontypridd and former shadow minister said yesterday: “The Prime Minister will know there is a rising tide of racism in our country.

“Since she came to office race hate crime has increased by 100% to 72,000 separate attacks last year.

“What is happening to our country on her watch?”

Mrs May responded: “When I was home secretary I took measures to ensure we improved the recording of hate crime because we didn’t have a full picture of what was happening.

“The (current) Home Secretary Sajd Javid has recently reviewed and revised our hate crime strategy.

“But the point underlying what the honourable gentleman has said... is that none of us should accept hate crime.

“We all should be very clear from this House there is no place for hate crime in our society, and wherever we see racism, in whatever form, we should all take action to eradicate it.”

Meanwhile, Police Scotland is planning for up to 400 officers to be deployed to deal with the consequences of Brexit, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has said.

He warned the additional police needed could threaten the financial stability of the force and he called for extra funding to be made available, as has been allocated elsewhere in the UK.

Speaking at a board meeting of police oversight body the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), Mr Livingstone said contingency plans were in place based on a “reasonable worst case scenario” for the UK leaving the EU.

He said this could include public disorder, disruption at ports and airports in Scotland, and the need for Police Scotland officers to be deployed elsewhere in the UK under mutual aid agreements, such as Northern Ireland.

He confirmed moves to recruit around 100 extra officers to deal with the issue and scrapping plans to cut 300 police.

The savings were part of a drive to reduce the SPA’S deficit.

Questioned if the 400 officers would be applied “specifically to Brexit”, Mr Livingstone confirmed they would.