Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Policing Minister, responding to the Government’s announcement today on the Police and Crime Commissioners anniversary said:

“Police and Crime Commissioners were Theresa May’s flagship reform yet the Government has mishandled this from the start. Last year they spent £100m on chaotic November elections where only 15% of people voted- even though that could have paid for thousands of police officers. And the evidence today that nine out of ten voters do not know who their Police and Crime Commissioner is shows the policy isn’t meeting the huge promises the Home Secretary made.

“Providing £20 million for policing is welcome but it is a drop in the ocean compared to the 15,000 police officers that will be lost on Theresa May’s watch, and will be cancelled out by the Government’s plans to take £50 million extra away from local police standards teams next year. The Home Secretary wanted Police and Crime Commissioners so she can blame them for the problems she is creating.

"We asked Lord Stevens to set up an independent commission to look at the future of policing, including Police and Crime Commissioners and it will report later this month.”