An immediate Police budget cut of £1.3 million in Cleveland can only mean fewer bobbies on the beat and will mean people will feel less safe.
And according to Stockton North Labour MP Alex Cunningham, the Tories and Liberal Democrats have betrayed the public:
“They voted today to cut £125 million of the Government’s core police funding. These cuts were proposed despite both the Tories and the Lib Dems supporting the current police grant, which was passed without a vote back in February. In Cleveland we are seeing a cut from £51.6 million to £50.3 million and make no mistake that means lost jobs.”
“Both the Tories and the Lib Dems fought the General Election calling for more police officers and safer streets. Unfortunately, one of the first acts of the new coalition is to slash the police budget for this year. This was a budget which they supported on the run up to the General Election.
“This is clearly unfair as local police forces like Cleveland, who have already set their precepts and will now have to make savings which will have an impact on police numbers and the services they can provide.
The Tory Lib Dem Government intend to take 25 per cent out of the Home Office budget and this will undoubtedly have an impact on frontline policing.
Under Labour crime fell by 36 per cent and there were record numbers of police on the beat. This cut will mean less police on the beat, working to make our communities safer.
