Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Police Minister, response to a speech by Theresa May at a Police Reform Summit organised by the Home Office.

In the speech Theresa May once again took a combative tone with the police, warning them that her u-turn on police cuts did not mean they were “off the hook”. Today instead saw confirmation that, under the shock announcements in the spending review, forces will not see their budgets fully protected as George Osborne had misleadingly suggested but will still see real-terms cuts by 2020. The Government’s claims also rely on police forces charging local people extra to keep police on the beat.

Jack Dromey said:

“Less than two weeks ago, Labour, the police and the public forced the Home Secretary into a major last minute U-turn, making her abandon dangerous cuts of over 22 per cent literally the night before the Spending Review. 

“As Labour have always said, there is still scope for further efficiency savings in the service. It is the police themselves who want to reform and revolutionise, whilst it is the Tories who have totally failed to understand the complex demands on the police, making last-minute rollercoaster decisions for political purposes.

“Theresa May needs to learn from her mistakes, stop accusing the police of scaremongering and start listening to them about how to build a police service fit for the 21st century. Policing is too important for the Tories to play political games with.”